Osun election: Our eyes focused on vote-buying - EU observers

macfranc007 September 22, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Oluwatobi Bolashodun

- Ahead of the Osun state governorship election, the European Union (EU) Election Observers will monitor vote-buying

- Ketil Karlsen, the EU ambassador to Nigeria, was hopeful that the modalities put in place by INEC to check vote-buying would yield positive results

- Karlsen said the global community would be watching the conduct of the election

The European Union (EU) Election Observers say they will monitor Saturday’s governorship election in Osun with an eye on vote-buying.

Ketil Karlsen, the EU ambassador to Nigeria, said this at a news conference on Friday, September 21, in Osogbo.

Karlsen said that the EU was hopeful that the modalities put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to check vote-buying during the election would yield positive results.

While commending INEC on its preparation, Karlsen said the global community would be watching the conduct of the election, being the last before the 2019 general elections.

Osun poll: Our eyes focused on vote-buying, say EU observers

Karlsen, who noted that more than 28 diplomatic observers from different countries were in the state for the election, said EU was committed to the continued consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.

“We are neutral in this election. We are not here to promote any candidate or political party.

“But we are here to promote the process that would lead to credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria and we hope to see credible election on Saturday.

“We are also here to see stability and continuity in Nigeria,” Karlsen said.

Also speaking, Dominic Williams, the Political Councillor, British High Commission, said the Osun election would be a signal to the 2019 general elections.

Williams said the EU would be watching to see how the election would be conducted and its impact on the 2019 general elections.

“We want free, fair and credible elections and we want candidates to show respect for the rule of the game and shun violence.

“We also appeal to the more the 1.2 million people that have collected their Permanent Voter Cards to come out en mass to vote,’’ Williams said.

In his remarks, David Young, Deputy Chief of Mission, United States embassy, said the US was committed to transparent and credible elections in Nigeria.

Young said the EU would continue to support the process that would promote peaceful elections.

While commending INEC for what it had done so far, Young urged the security agencies to be neutral in the election.

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NAIJ.com previously reported that The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged students in Osun state to shun violence during and after the Saturday, September 22, governorship election in the state.

Azeez Adeyemi, the national public relations officer for the association, gave the advice in a statement in Abeokuta on Friday, September 21.

Adeyemi stated that Nigerian students remain agents of positive and progressive change. He said that they would continue to defend the nation's democracy.

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