Osun State Governor, Adegoyega Oyetola has advised youths and students in the state to shun electoral violence and protect their votes during 2022 Governorship election slated for July 16th.
Oyetola speaking during the leadership summit tagged “Free, Fair and Credible Election, Bedrock for National Development”, organised by the National leadership of National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) held at Osun State University, Osogbo Campus.
The governor who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Student Affairs and Social Mobilisation, Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji said student unionism is leadership recruitment platform for national development and the student must strive hard to sustain current democratic transition in the state through free, fair, credible and acceptable election.
He said: “You must reject electoral violence, no matter the monetary offer or any form of inducement, such conduct will only mortgage your future and deny the citizens the democratic right to choose leadership which is dangerous for our democracy. As the ruling party, we have no fear, we are so confident of winning because of our performance especially on education and youth development, all we are asking for is conducive atmosphere that will guarantee credible process with equal opportunity to all political parties.”
Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Abduganiyu Olayinka said out of 1,955,657 total register voters in Osun, youths between the age of 18 – 50 years constituted 75% of the total eligible voters saying the youths in Osun now have a better opportunity to choose their preferred candidate with the larger voting population advantage.
In his their seperate addresses, National President of NANS, Comrade Sunday Asefon and Secetary Comrade Adekitan Lukman said the workshop was organised by the Secretariat of NANS to sensitise the students on electoral process and need for more participations in election as part of the organisation’s contributions to free and fair election and Nigeria democratic development..
