Osun 2014: Ex-Lg boss cautions on deployment of soldiers

Against the backdrop of deploying soldiers to Osun State for the August 9 governorship election, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Nasir Olateju, has cautioned the Presidency from implementing the idea in the state. Olateju, while adding his voice to the calls against militarisation of the state ahead of the August 9 election, said this is necessary to prevent the possibility of using them to intimidate voters and cause confusion during the election. ‘The idea of deploying military to the state during the coming election might be a genuine one by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide security but we all know that the military and the police are under the presidency and the hawks there could use
the President’s name in misusing power and getting democratic rules and dictates subverted. The police can handle the task of ensuring a free and fair election and it is a known fact that snatching of ballot boxes and other odd acts are gone for good since the electoral laws have taken adequate care of that and those who involve in such would automatically get the results of election in the area cancelled. It is, therefore, inconceivable that the talks about deploying military would be considered so important by the Federal Government if there is no hidden agenda or an underline factor’ he submitted. Speaking on the re-election bid of Rauf Aregbesola, Olateju described it as a good step in the right direction. Olateju, who was a former chairman of Irepodun Local Government, while speaking in an interview in Osogbo, at the weekend, said. the administration of Aregbesola, has religiously kept to his pact with the people of the state and has ensured adequate delivery of dividends of democracy to the people. ‘The governor’s achievements is enormous and one would naturally wonder why any discerning mind would claim not to have noticed such. It takes a visitor to the state prior to 2010 to repeat such a visit and discover the major differences. The state capital that hitherto could not be rated alongside those of other states can now favourably compete with others in terms of development of infrastructures within three years’ he said.