Osun 2014: US Consul holds talks with Omisore, Aregbesola

THE Chief, Political Economic Section of the United States (US) Consulate General, Lagos, Mr Rolf Olsan on Wednesday, had discussions with the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Osun, Senator Iyiola Omisore and his counterpart, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in order to strengthen democratic ethos. Olsan who had earlier met Aregbesola in Osogbo, before having discussions with Omisore at his private residence in Ile -Ife, on Wednesday, said: “We are here to talk to stakeholders in Osun and Ekiti.” According to him: “Our priorities are that election should be credible, fair and violence free. We hope all the political stakeholders realise these critical issues to ensure the conduct of acceptable election.” Though we could not access details of the meeting the team held with the incumbent, Omisore while responding to enquiries by Olsan, echoed the need for democratic institutions and the global community to prevail on the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, to ensure that his Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the state, Ambassador Rufus Olutoyin Akeju does not preside over the 9 August poll in Osun. The PDP standard-bearer queried, “What is the interest of Jega to appeal against the judgment of a Federal High Court, which pronounce Akeju to be unfit in conducting election in Osun.” “Election by perception must be of high integrity and credible. There is established bias against Osun REC by a competent court of law. His appointment as REC has been declared illegal. Where we are now is the issue of credibility of election,” Omisore asserted. While buttressing his argument with photocopies of newspapers’ editorials written against Akeju, the PDP candidate said: “INEC board, Commissioners just few days ago in a newspaper report were sharply divided over issue of retaining or redeploying Osun REC before the conduct of this coming election,” stressing that “we don’t want to be a victim of injustice and electoral malpractice.”