Date: 2019-02-15

An Associate Professor of Guidance and Counseling at the University of Ilorin, Doctor Abdulrasaq Olayinka Oniye, has tasked security agencies to be proactive and uncompromising in the discharge of their mandate of securing the lives and property of the citizens before, during and after the election.

Doctor Oniye who gave the charge in an exclusive interview with journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, said this could be a very trying period for the security agencies, but they must be alive to their responsibilities.

The Associate Professor underscored the need for the security agencies to redouble their efforts to nib anti democratic forces in the bud.

" The security agencies must redouble their efforts to nib anti democratic forces in the bud. This could be a very trying period for the security agencies but they must be alive to their responsibilities by been proactive and uncompromising in the discharge of their mandate of securing the lives and properties of the citizens before, during and after the election", he said.

While asking the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure proper handling of all election materials especially the sensitive ones, the don also called on the umpire to double screen its staff and ad hoc staff to guard against infiltration by enemies of people-based election results.

Doctor Oniye however charged the electorates to be alert to their responsibilities of voting and encouraging all other eligible voters to vote, stressing the need for them to realise that the election is another divine opportunity for them to pick their leaders whose actions and inactions are bound to affect them and their people's lives at least for another four years.

" The electorates must be alert to their responsibilities of voting and encouraging all other eligible voters to vote",he said further .

According to him, the electorate must avoid voting for any candidate based on financial inducements or unbridled sentiment because whatever choice they made in this election is likely to determine their life status in the next four years.

Doctor Oniye therefore charged all relevant stakeholders, especially the electoral umpire, security agencies, local and international observers, the media and electorates to be committed to the unity, oneness and progress of the country by sustaining the democratic principles of the country.

In voting the electorate must realise that the election is another divine opportunity for them to pick their leader whose actions and inaction are bound to affect them and their people's lives at least for another four years. They must avoid voting for any candidate based on financial inducements or unbridled sentiment because whatever choice they made in this election is likely to determine their life status in the next four years.