The religious leaders advised yesterday in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Okitipupa, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.
They said elections should not be “do-or-die affairs” but conducted peacefully.
They urged the electorates to troop out en masse with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to their polling units on Saturday and vote wisely for their preferred candidates.
The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Okitipupa chapter, Pastor Peter Akinyelure, encouraged the electorate to avoid acts that could disrupt the peace of the state.
He said the election period should be a time to strengthen community bonds rather than create division.
Akinyelure called on all religious groups, community associations, and family units to educate and remind one another of the importance of a peaceful election.
“Peace is priceless, and we cannot afford to lose it over political interests by fighting ourselves and causing trouble that will bring us more trouble.
“Do not engage in vote buying; follow your conscience and vote wisely, then leave the outcome in God’s hands,” Akinyelure said.
Similarly, Alhaji Kamaldeen Adeyemi-Bagudu, the Chief Imam in Okitipupa, advised voters to resist the temptation of vote-buying, thereby mortgaging their free will and conscience.
He added that no money received on election day could sustain them for the next four years.
Adeyemi-Bagudu said, “Peace is what we want in the forthcoming elections.
“Fighting for politicians is like fighting ourselves for nothing’s sake because politicians will embrace themselves after the election.
“We should stop deceiving ourselves by selling our votes, suppressing our free will and conscience means we mortgage our lives and that of our children for the next four years. Go to the polling units and vote your conscience. May God choose the right leaders for us,” he said.
*We’ll be transparent, REC assures electorate, stakeholders
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, has assured electorates and stakeholders of transparency during the November 16 governorship election.
Babalola gave the assurance during the inspection of sensitive materials by major stakeholders at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday in Akure.
The REC, who said the sensitive materials would be distributed on Thursday, explained that the inspection was to demonstrate the commission’s transparency.
According to her, showing the stakeholders the sensitive materials shows that the commission is committed to delivering a free, fair, and credible election.
“We invited critical stakeholders such as security officers, political parties, observers, media, and others to this inspection to show transparency.
“You can see they are well wrapped; nobody has tampered with them.
“When we come tomorrow (Thursday) for distribution, we will open them one Local Government (LG) at a time and give them to the electoral officers.
“We will start with the furthest LG so that they can get there on time. When they get to the LG, distribution to registration areas and polling units will start,” she said.
Also, Mr. Olumide Festus, a People Democratic Party (PDP) agent and one of the stakeholders inspecting the sensitive materials said it would be crucial to determine the election’s outcome.
“With this inspection, I believe that the election will occur as scheduled, and I can see security agencies, particularly here in CBN, are entirely on the ground.
“And we too, as a party, we are ready for the election, and by the grace of God, we shall win,” he said
Also, Ms Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), applauded INEC for its transparency ahead of the election.
“With these sensitive materials, we believe the election will hold as scheduled,” she said.
