By Lawrence Olaoye
Former Minister of Youth Development, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi yesterday charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be vigilant in the conduct of the Osun state governorship election billed for August 9the this year.
Olasunkanmi who picked his nomination form at the headquarters of the PDP yesterday said the charge has become necessary because the incumbent governor, Rauf Aregbesola and his All Progressives Congress (APC) are well versed in election rigging and fraud.
According to him, INEC and the security agencies must watch out to avert the repeat of the Anambra experience where 183 Osun indigenes were dispatched in the guise of election monitors to perpetrate fraud during the state governorship election.
He counseled INEC to enlist the services of all the nation’s security agencies ahead of the election so that there would be no room for any form of malpractices whatsoever. .
Olasunkanmi assured that if given the ticket, he would deploy his wealth of experience garnered over the years as a Minister and one time Senator of the Federal Republic to develop Osun state.
He said education and sustainable employment generation would be the cardinal programs of his administration if given the mandate to govern the state.
According to him, unemployment is a time bomb that should be given proper attention by all seeking for political office at any level of government and would therefore provide vocational and technical training as the solution to the growing unemployment rate in the state.
He also promised to reverse some of the unpopular policies of the Aregbesola administration in the state, especially the re-classification of schools, saying, “I am going to revisit all these unpopular programmes, such as reclassification of schools, we shall bring back our glory and we shall resolve all issues after the exit of Aregbesola”
He added that one of the calamities that the administration brought to the state was religious dichotomy but promised to address all if given the mandate at the poll.
He pointed out that during the last administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola which was Christian-christian ticket, there was no religious crisis in the state but that it was Governor Aregbesola that brought in religious dichotomy to the State.
The former Minister denied the rumour making the round that a former governor of the state; Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke was also warming up for the race.
According to him, “Senator Adeleke’s contest for governorship is a rumour, he is one of the leaders I first consulted before I aspired, he agreed to go for senate and we agreed to support our individual aspirations, so, I stand by that mutual understanding because he has not told me that he is going to change his mind”.
