THE AFRIKA MARKET'S FINAL CONCLUSION ON THE STATE OF OSUN ELECTION 2014

Written By ; ‘JIDE ADESINA

Edited by; VERONICA OLAYINKA ADESINA

THE AFRIKAMARKET’S SUBMISSION: FINAL CONCLUSION ON THE STATE OF OSUN ELECTION 2014

– The presence of security personnel ensured a peaceful election and transparency in all ranks and file of the electoral process.

-INEC should be commended for a well-organized, structured and articulate conduct of the election, although little delays were recorded in some polling units in IWO, EDE, IFE and Osogbo but the overall assessment of the election was excellent and good for Nigeria nascent democracy which provides a glimpse of hope for 2015 general election

-Returning officers were mandated to sign results sheets with all party reps is a true indication of true democracy

-INEC communication units was very responsive and easy to reach-Their site and telephone in terms of emergency and crisis should be commended -The security personnel especially the police and DSS are well-coordinated and mannered during the accreditation and voting process. There was minor errors reported in some polling units in Ede but INEC took charge and acted accordingly.

Conclusion: To prevent discrepancies in the general elections, INEC chairman should note the following:

There should be no recess during announcement of final results and declaration of the winner as it occurred in the State of Osun which provoked all journalist to go on rampage, this crisis could have been averted if the INEC chairman had not delayed in declaring the winner of the election; his decision to delay the declaration of the winner was not cogent or credible enough.

INEC need to have an automated result programmes in place that would hasten the cumulative results in an computer-aided device that calculate results. AfrikaMarket believes the federal government of Nigeria has coordinated a free and fair election in the State of Osun and the security system was excellent.

Difference between Ekiti State Election and State of Osun Election The two recent elections in Ekiti and Osun is an eye opener for all political stalwarts and pundits in Nigeria, the political climate for 2015 general election is gearing up ; past schemes, propaganda and manipulations of media to impune the populace on their political platforms need to be addressed.
One does not have to be a soothsayer to know that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was going to win the election. He is generally acknowledged to be pragmatic, political correct and ensure good governance as it relates to his cardinal objectives. An activist and political machinery himself, he has managed to attain and maintain a deep connection with the grassroots with relative ease through his people-centered policies, forming an organic link with the masses.
In spite of the limited resources of Osun, Ogbeni Aregbesola has determined to alleviate the crisis of poverty and underdevelopment; through the social security scheme, the government pays N10, 000 monthly stipend to the elderly,

and reaches out to unemployed youths numbering about 20, 000 through the O’yes programme (Osun State Youth Empowerment scheme.

He has also implemented a school feeding programme and revolutionized the lives of public school students through the initiation of the ‘Opon Imo’ (tablet of knowledge).

Under his administration, he has also developed the establishment of a textile factory for sewing school uniforms and other programmes which have impacted positively the people. Mind you, the government has also constructed thousands of kilometres of roads. The fact that he had endeared himself to the people was the basis of our confidence. The clear difference between the theoretical programmes of Gov. fayemi and the pragmatic approach of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is the manifestation of the result at the polls. Gov.Fayemi of Ekiti state was a victim of the ideological crisis of the party.

THE PERISCOPE INTO APC AND PDP OF NIGERIA (THE TWO DOMINANT PARTIES):
The parties armed its governors with programmes that are not mass based while its code of ethics alienates the people. The APC claims to be an offshoot of the Unity Party of Nigeria and the Peoples Redemption Party of the Second Republic; parties that ensured access to education, health, employment, abolished oppressive taxes which enhanced the quality of the lives of the people. Today, according to the Afrika Market research, the APC has, like the Peoples Democratic Party, priced education and health out of the reach of the poor. The traffic control agencies like the Nigeria Force in the APC-controlled states extort money from motorists and the APC is seriously defending the dubious rein of market fundamentalism. It believes in the commercialization of education, health and the privatisation of public assets. Even in the United States, the bastion of capitalism, the poor under a certain economic level, are housed by the State while their children still have access to education.
The main crisis in the US Congress pertains to Obamacare which has to do with affordable access to healthcare for 47 million Americans who has no health insurance. Here, Nigerians are told that the government cannot fund schools, fund hospitals, construct roads, supply water etc. Nigerians have to pay through their noses for all social services including epileptic power supply. If civil servants cannot educate their children, feed their family and live a reasonably decent life then the government has failed. But due to his socialist background Aregbesola has extricated himself from the crisis of ideological confusion associated with the APC. He is convinced that the national economy should never be handed over to market forces. With our assessment in The Afrika Market, that was the basis of his electoral victory. It was a free and fair election. Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola had beaten his closest rival by over 100,000 votes.
It is suffice to say that Aregbesola drew sufficient lessons from Ekiti and mobilized the Osun people to defend their votes. Owing to his organic link with the masses, they were prepared to make the necessary and even risky sacrifice to have him re-elected.When the returning officers and journalists had problems with the announcement of the results, the voters surrounded the INEC office at Osogbo. At that juncture the security forces pitched their tent with the people.
In terms of integrity, consistency, pedigree, education and principle, Otunba Omisore could not match Ogbeni Aregbesola that was why he lost the election. Senator Iyiola Omisore of PDP has filed petition at the election petition tribunal.
In conclusion, The Afrika market submit this report with clear understanding of the peoples conscience and vote, since there is no clearly marked ideological difference between the APC and the PDP the latter is likely to continue to make inroads in the country unless the individual candidate embark on a people’s programme agenda. It is a challenge for all Nigerians who are committed to genuine social change to come together, unite and intervene decisively in mobilizing Nigerians to take their political destiny in their own hands.