Learn From Your Experience, Mimiko Tells INEC

The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to learn from its experience which led to the postponement of  last Saturday’s National Assembly election and ensure that the  rescheduled election holds so that the electorate could exercise their franchise.

In a state-wide broadcast in Akure, Mimiko said that though the government has noted the explanation of INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega for the postponement of the polls, “we hope INEC will have learnt the necessary lessons from this experience and ensure that there are no further impediments that will frustrate the ability of the people to exercise their franchise.”

The governor, while expressing sympathy with the people who he noted defied the blazing sun to queue up for accreditation only for their efforts to be aborted midway, urged them not to be deterred by occasional challenges or seeming obstacles to the conclusion of the election.

His words: “I hereby call for calm and restraint on the part of our people so that elections can still take place in an atmosphere of peace and order. Reports reaching us from across the state indicated that you heeded our clarion call to troop out to vote, and we are happy you did not give in to intimidation and harrasment by hoodlums sponsored by some anti-democratic elements.

“At this juncture, I enjoin you to be tenacious and vigilant in protecting your vote and ensure that your votes count. I know you are not new to exhibiting a tenacity of purpose for a cause; you are no strangers to the pursuit of electoral sanctity and certainly, you are no aliens to the long distance race for our democratic consolidation. It is my expectation, therefore, that you will not let the experience of Saturday create the kind of paralysis of desire that may substantially remove our collective resolve to vote in our true representatives in these elections.

“To ensure that we all participate in the National Assembly election as rescheduled by INEC, I hereby declare Monday the 4th of April 2011 a work free day in Ondo-State so that every registered citizen can vote according to  his or her conscience without any fear of molestation or intimidation. “This democratic journey has started and we should not be deterred by occasional challenges or seeming obstacles to its conclusion.”

Governor Mimiko who was full of praises for the security operatives in the state, however, called for greater vigilance on the part of the people in protection their votes from election riggers.

“Do not hesitate to report strange faces in your communities and neighbourhood to the nearest security operatives as eternal vigilance is the price for  liberty.

“My dear good people of Ondo State, I salute your courage and I make bold to say that though we may have made a few false starts, with the resolve of people like you, we are bound to move from the desert of electoral dilemma to an oasis of truly representative governance,” he said.