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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, June 14, 2014
Soldiers Impound Truck Loaded With Ballot Papers •Omisore’s Aide Fingered EMESIS seem to have caught up with three
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gathered to have been one of Senator Omisore’s Personal Assistants, whose name could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report. Sources further revealed that the vehicle with registration number:
feet, as he ran into the bush, men believed to have been hired to transport while the soldiers equally some ballot papers meant for the forthcoming fired several shots at his Ekiti State gubernatorial election to a secret direction with the aim of location in the State of Osun, where arrangements getting him arrested. have been concluded for their thumb-printing The escapee was before they would be smuggled back to Ekiti State ahead of the election. According to impeccable sources, the Nigerian military team on patrol at Itawure in Efon Local Government Council Area of Ekiti State arrested a truck allegedly belonging to Senator Iyiola Omisore, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate in the State of Osun with bundles of ballot papers. On sighting the soldiers at the check-point, one of the three men inside the vehicle was reported to have dialogued with his •Faces of the three suspects caught with ballot papers along Ekiti-Osun road on Thursday.
APP 952 XL, was sighted and stopped at Itawure while on its way to a location in Osun. The white truck was also gathered to have been taken to Ado-Ekiti, the state capital by some men of the Nigerian Army, who
June 12: Why You Must Defend Your Votes - Aregbesola •As Civil Society Groups Organised Mass Rally For Credible Election By ISMAEEL UTHMAN
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assumed election does not take place where there is no Form EC08. The governor also charged the people to record the voting activities at their areas with phones and other recording gadgets, saying that no law forbids the recording of the voting process. “Never again would we allow charlatans to rig our elections again. Never again shall we allow the impostors to lord themselves over us again. The last time they could do that was in 2007. But presently, they would not dare to unleash terror on our people. Anywhere that over 200 people are killed is no longer a national matter but a matter of the International Criminal Court. “We voted in 2011 and it was peaceful and we won. We should expect the same thing in 2014. The voice of the people must be heard. Our votes must count and democracy must continue to grow in Nigeria. That is the doctrine of June 12,” the governor stated. Earlier, members of the civil society groups had thronged major streets in Osogbo, the state capital, in a mass rally to campaign for free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in Nigeria, particularly in the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.
The pressure groups included the Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC), the Osun Development Agenda (ODA), the Peoples Welfare League (PWL), the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), the Independent Masses Forum, the Democracy Vanguard, the Committee for Democracy and Rights of the People among others. The placards carried by the people were inscribed with words like: “Our votes must count; we want free fair and credible election, no to rigging, no to violence, let democracy grow, bring back our girls, one man-one vote, don’t gag the press, let the press be free, freedom of the press is constitutional, etc. Speaking at the rally, the Senior Special Assistant to Aregbesola on Civil and Popular Affairs, Comrade Waheed Lawal, said the rally was staged to express the pressure group’s displeasure on some national issues, which might jeopardize the country’s democracy. Lawal condemned the recent attack on the media houses by the Nigerian military, describing it as undemocratic and uncivilized, just as he called for total freedom of the press from harassment, intimidation and
oppression from any quarters. He also joined the call for free fair and credible Osun and Ekiti governorship elections, warning that any attempt to rig the elections would be resisted by the electorate. In his own address, the Deputy Convener of the ODA, Comrade Shenge Rahman, stated that June 12 is meant to campaign for strengthening Nigeria’s democracy through the conduct of violence-free and credible election. Rahman warned the military not to intervene in any form in Nigeria’s democracy, stating that the military regimes were responsible for the underdevelopment of the country.
parked it in front of an eatery, while awaiting further instruction from their superiors. Meanwhile, some buses with PDP inscriptions on them have been parading where the vehicle has been parked apparentely, looking for an opportunity to persuade the soldiers to release the truck and the boys. The officer in-charge of the operation, one Brigadier J.J. Momoh, while briefing journalists on the development, confirmed the incident and said his men arrested the truck at 1.15pm on Thursday at Itawure. According to him, two men have been arrested with the truck, while the third person escaped into the bush with ongoing effort by his men to track him down. “The accused on interrogation said they were contacted by one Mr. I.K. of INEC Office, AdoEkiti, who claimed to have clients in Lagos and Akure, who deals in such materials,” Momoh revealed. Those arrested were Biodun, who claimed to be a driver working with Lacasera Bottling Company in Lagos and Erinfolami, who claimed to be working with an iron company, also in Lagos. The Army officer however warned politicians to play by the rules as his men are on redalert to apprehend anyone who runs afoul of the law.
N line with the spirit of democracy, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun has challenged the electorate to vote and defend their votes in the forthcoming governorship and future election in the state. He charged the people not Aregbesola said it is by so doing that the voters could to be afraid of anybody that guarantee the sanctity of their wants to intimidate them in the votes and democracy, adding cause of defending their votes, that democracy without the true adding that they must all representation of the people’s prepare to spend the whole day at the polling stations to ensure will is a fallacy. The governor stated this on that the election results at Thursday at the June 12 Mass polling units were counted and Rally organized by civil society declared by the INEC officials. The governor said: “You groups in the state. According to the governor, must not leave the polling June 12 became a heroic and stations after voting but stay special day in Nigeria’s history at reasonable distance that will as a result of the fights put not undermine the voting forward by the electorate, process. It is by that you can particularly the Yoruba, in the guarantee the security of your defence of June 12, 1993 votes. Do not be afraid of presidential election, which was them. Stay at the polling station annulled by retired General and maintain peaceful conduct.” Ibrahim Babangida. Aregbesola also enlightened Aregbesola reiterated that June 12 would not have come the electorate on the need to to stay, had the voters caved in ensure that the election results IGERIANS have been urged to exempt children from to intimidation, harassment and at the polling stations are child labour, in accordance with the law of International threats from the military written on the Form ECO8, Labour Organization (ILO), but rather give the children saying that they should not government and the usurpers. social protection from such vices. He said: “We must vote. Vote accept results written on any is our constitutional right. We paper, except the official The Commissioner, media chat on World Day must also defend our votes. FORM EC08. Ministry of Women and Against Child Labour 2014, He added that any election Nothing must stop us from Children Affairs in the State of which was held on June 12, with doing that. We must not be result written on any paper is Osun, Mrs. Mofolake Adetoun the Theme: Extend Social intimidated to defend our votes. not valid; stating that it is Adegboyega, disclosed this in a Protection: Combat Child Yoruba people defended the sanctity of June 12; and that is Labour. why we are gathered here today. Mrs. Adegboyega frowned at “If not for the electorate, the large number of children especially the Yoruba that being engaged in forced, paid or fought in defence of their votes unpaid domestic work, which on June 12, 1993, we would not had made the children have had the civil rule we are vulnerable to abuse and enjoying now. It is very deprived them of adequate important to vote and defend education, health, leisure and that vote with all legal means. basic freedom, thereby violating The Yoruba had no guns, no their rights. weapons, yet they fought for She stated that Ogbeni Rauf June 12. We must also ensure Aregbesola’s administration that our votes are secure in this does not support child labour coming election. and that it has in place, “Your vote is your right. You numerous policies in favour of must vote wisely. We must children, who he believed before the election, register as should be safeguarded from the voters and certify that our abuse of child labour. names are on the voters’ list of According to Adegboyega, the Independent National the World Day Against Child Electoral Commission (INEC). Labour this year is a call to Do not allow anybody to take introduce, improve and extend your voters’ cards. That is your social protection and reach out licence to choose who governs to vulnerable groups of children. you.” She thereby called on Aregbesola maintained that if the people wait behind at the organisations, civil societies, polling stations fully armed schools, youths and women with legitimate weapons, •A cross section of LAUTECH staff showing their appreciation to Governor Rauf Aregbesola during the presentation groups, media, as well as nobody would dare unleash of an award of Excellence to the governor by Hoplink Solidarity Forum (HSF), LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Nigerians in the campaign terror on them or make attempt against child labour to highlight Osogbo Chapter, at GMT Hotel, Osogbo, last Thursday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI. to rig the election. the plight of child labourers.
Exempt Children From Child Labour - Adegboyega
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