Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has urged the country’s citizens to give the Independent National Electoral Commission the benefit of the doubt by accepting the reasons the commission adduced for postponing Saturday’s election.
Ajimobi, who is the Oyo South Senatorial District candidate of the All progressives Congress in the postponed election, advised against speculations and spreading fake news capable of igniting crisis in the country.
A statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mr Bolaji Tunji, on Saturday, called for sober reflection among the players in the election process on how to ensure the sanctity of the electoral process.
Having come this far in the country’s democratic experience, he said that no sacrifice should be too much for individuals and institutions to pay to protect the sanctity of democracy as an all-inclusive and best form of government.
He said, “Painful as the last minute decision taken by INEC is, I appeal to Nigerians to give the commission the benefit of the doubt by accepting the reasons they have enumerated as valid and genuine.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has his integrity at stake and would not dabble into anything that would rubbish his many years of meritorious service in the public service.
“Instead of needless hysteria and blame games, this unfortunate development should be an opportunity for key players in the election process to go on sober reflection on how good governance could be further enshrined in the country.
“But, I must also admonish INEC to ensure that the new dates remain sacrosanct so that the confidence still reposed in them by some Nigerians who believed that they have the best of intention will not be eroded.”
Ajimobi called on APC loyalists to use the window of opportunity provided by the postponement to further comb the nook and cranny of the country to spread the gospel of the party’s good governance.
The governor exuded confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari and APC candidates would emerge victorious whenever the rescheduled election is held, calling on the leaders and followers of the party to remain calm.
