•Be above board, CONUA admonishes academics on electoral duties
•Osun declares Friday public holiday
Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Bauchi State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs. Rifkatu Yakubu, has called on all the corps members participating in the 2023 general election not to tamper or try to adjust the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine if it develops any technical problem.
The coordinator, who made the call in Bauchi, yesterday, during the sensitisation of NYSC members on their participation in the elections said this was because the electorate might think the corps members were trying to manipulate the electoral process and may lead to serious problems
Yakubu urged them to hand the BVAS machine to the INEC technical officials present at the polling unit in case of any technical glitch.
The state Coordinator also admonished the corps members not to collect food from strangers during the election and urged them to ensure they go to their various polling units with food so as to avoid any form of inducement from strangers.
According to her, “I will advise all those involved in the election to ensure that they have what to eat. What I’m saying in essence is that people may use anything to drown you.
“You may be sleeping and other things would be taking place without your knowledge, so, please, ensure that you equip yourselves properly,” he added.
The NYSC boss who called on the corps members to be highly security conscious, urged them to go home and remain indoors after the submission of the election materials.
Also speaking, Mr. Ateli Samson, an Assistant Director from NYSC Headquarters, said efforts were being made daily to ensure that the corps members were safe before, during and after the elections.
He assured that INEC would make effective provision for their feeding and urged them not to violate any electoral law.
Meanwhile, the National President of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), Dr. ‘Niyi Sunmonu, yesterday admonished all academics entrusted with electoral duties, particularly CONUA members, to perform the assignments with utmost fidelity to the extant electoral laws and guidelines.
The national president also urged them to be above board as INEC’s guarantee a level playing field for all academics entrusted with electoral duties.
In a statement signed by Sunmonu and made available to THISDAY in Osogbo yesterday, the union stated that the request reflected the very deep trust which the electoral body reposes in the nation’s academics to facilitate electoral integrity and ensure commensurate dividends of democracy.
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, recently met with the Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities for support to source for the, “requisite number of suitable academic staff of impeccable integrity who must also understand that this is a call to national service.”
Also, the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, yesterday approved Friday, 24th of February, as a public holiday for residents and indigenes to travel for the presidential and National Assembly elections holding on Saturday.
In a circular issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Teslim Igbalaye, public servants were expected to utilise the opportunity to travel for the electoral process.
“This is time for all citizens to exercise their voting rights. His Excellency again appeals to all residents to be law abiding as they peacefully exercise their voting rights on Saturday and subsequent elections,” the SSG noted in the circular.
