By Stephen Adeleye.
Mr Abayomi Awoniyi, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Kogi State, has commended INEC staff and security personnel in his area for their good conduct in the ongoing general elections.
Awoniyi, a stalwart of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Saturday in Mopa, that the conduct of the INEC and the security personnel was quite commendable.
”You can see that the conduct of the INEC staff is quite commendable, the security personnel here are in place without no weapon in sight.
”The joyful mood of the setting; the congenial mood shows that Nigerians are out here in this polling unit to cast their votes without any form of molestation or intimidation.
”So, I commend the INEC, security personnel and the electorate so far in my polling unit,” Awoniyi said.
He added: ”as a major stakeholder of the PDP and as a bonafide citizen of Nigeria, as far as my polling unit is concerned, I can say emphatically that everything seems to be going on peacefully”.
Responding to the alleged arrest of some of PDP members in the state, Awoniyi described the situation as most unfortunate.
”It is most unfortunate that such is happening.
”It is a statement of fact and not allegation, because we felt the brunt of that arrest here in Mopamuro only yesterday.”
He, however, commended the heads of security operatives in the way they handled the situation.
According to him, immediately we got the information that a detachment of security personnel from SARS had picked up six of our party stalwarts including an Imam who is not a party member.
”We quickly raised the alarm; we spoke to the Area Commander and the Police Commissioner, Alhaji Busari Hakeem, and I will be frank, they immediately set machinery in motion that saw to the release of the people.
”They have been told to return to Lokoja on Tuesday and we intend to escort them there, because the allegation against them was very spurious petition.
”They were accused of Gun Running, but believe me in Mopamuro here, it is not in our character to do such things because we are a very descent society.
”If all society in Nigeria were like us here, elections would be as peaceful as a way to church service,” Awoniyi said.
The former deputy governor reiterated the for Nigerians to be discerned in how they vote today, saying they had gone through three and half years of torture, hardship, depression.
”Be that as it may, let all Nigerians vote; we have a mission of getting Nigeria working again,” Awoniyi said.
(NAN)
