A Human Right Activist and Public Affairs Analyst, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme has commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their roles in the just concluded Osun governorship election.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Vincent Ezekwueme and made available to newsmen in Onitsha on Sunday.
Ezekwueme commended the transparent manner at which Osun election was conducted by INEC in which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ademola Adeleke defeated incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola of All Progressive (APC).
“The outcome of the election reflected the wishes and aspirations of majority of the Osun people. This has tremendously rekindled people’s hope, faith, trust and confidence in our electoral process.
“I commend President Muhammadu Buhari, INEC, security agents and all other stakeholders for ensuring peaceful, credible, transparent, free, fair and generally acceptable election in Osun state.
“Relentless efforts should be made to ensure reflection of such good gesture during next year’s general elections. I condemn high rate of vote-buying, which is the greatest threat to our democracy”, he said.
He said that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and other security agents should be encouraged and commended for their patriotic efforts to curtail the menace of vote-buying.
He called on INEC to ban party agents from staying closer to the voting cubicles, to discourage vote buying in subsequent elections.