OSUN LG ELECTION: BISHOPS CALL FOR CALMNESS, CIVILITY URGE OSIEC, SECURITY, OTHER STAKHOLDERS TO MAINTAIN SINCERITY.

OSUN LG ELECTION: BISHOPS CALL FOR CALMNESS, CIVILITY URGE OSIEC, SECURITY, OTHER STAKHOLDERS TO MAINTAIN SINCERITY.

OPEYEMI AKINYEMI 

OSOGBO, OSUN STATE 

Ahead of saturday local government election, clerics in Osun State have called on government and critical stakeholders to ensure safety of lives, properties as well as instruments and institutions of democracy during and after the polls.

This was echoed at the Ecumenical conference of the Bishops from different denominations organized by the Justice Development and peace makers' centre JDPMC in osogbo, the Osun State capital.

Osun State is identified as one of the state in Nigeria that has maintained consistent peaceful record in the last two decades.

However, the peace of the state was recently disturbed following the judgement by the appeal court reinstated local government officials where lives was lost and properties vandalized upon resumption to their various Secretariat.

To this end, the Ecumenical conference of the the bishops of the Catholic, Anglican, African, Methodist and President Osun Baptist conference gathered to brainstorm on the need to call for return of peace and solidarity as the state prepares for local government election this Saturday.

The Conference Titled "A Clarion call for the return of peace and solidarity in Osun State".

Addressing journalists, Bishop Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, commended stakholders for the self restraint and maturity towards preventing the situation from degenerating into further lawlessness and destruction, appealed to OSIEC and political leaders to ensure citizens have a clear understanding of their rights and the electoral process.

"We commend stakeholders who with high sense of responsibility and concern for the safety and wellbeing of all; especially the most vulnerable, have been very dutiful, exercised self-restrain and maturity to prevent the situation from degenerating into further lawlessness and destruction.

"We are saddened to observe how some unprincipled political leaders, who, rather than use the law and legal processes to enrich our coexistence and strengthen our bond of unity, rather exploit the loopholes therein to advance personal interest to the detriment of our common existence even to the extent of taking innocent human lives of private citizens.

"We are worried that this unconscienced attitude could occasion the reign of violence and bitterness that can tear apart a state we have mutually worked in solidarity to build up to this stage through peaceful engagements.

"Our politicians need to remember that governance is a call to serve the people and not themselves and/or their cohorts. They should see themselves not just as heads or agents of various political parties but as political leaders who have been or being entrusted with governing the people in strict compliance with the law, and in just and fair manners.

"It will be very shameful if, as political leaders they cannot come together in civility from across party divides to resolve their differences amicably without recourse to violence. We therefore condemn in strong and unambiguous terms the undue killings and destruction of properties that have engulfed our beloved State in the last few days.

"We call on all stakeholders especially the state and federal governments as well as the security agencies to ensure the safety of the lives and properties of innocent citizens as well as the instruments and institutions of democracy in our state during the election. 

"We call on the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission to be more engaging with stakeholders. This is most needed at this sensitive time to ensure that citizens and all stakeholders in the election processes have a clear understanding of their rights and obligations and have the required foreknowledge of the electoral processes. 

"This would help to reduce undue tension during electoral activities. Agents of the commission must be compliant with law, create level playing ground for all and manifest transparency in the electoral processes as well as in the management of election results.

Finally, "we appeal also for calmness and civility with the post-election developments. Proper dispute resolution mechanism in accordance with law already exists for the settlement of election grievances, let them be put to proper use where necessary. Beyond the legal structures, we look forward to mature and civil attitude from our political leaders in managing political difference in a manner that prove to the citizens and the entire world that their diversity is an asset that is very resourceful in building on our recorded progress, as we prudently deploy our very scarce resources to stabilize our dear state in the midst of the current economic hardship. Bishop Akin Oyejola said.

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