August 15: Accord Chair, Lawmaker Fault INEC’s 385 Flashpoints Report in Osun, Demand Review
The ruling Accord party in Osun State has asked the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola to review the Independent National Electoral Commission’s risk assessment report, which listed 385 flashpoints across the state, describing it as “a hatchet job for a sinister electoral agenda.”
OSUN DEFENDER reports that Babalola, while speaking at a meeting convened by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of South West, Adegoke Fayoade, with heads of security agencies, religious leaders, electoral officials and the media, said INEC has identified about 385 flashpoints in the state and 200 difficult terrains that will be hard to access.
The REC said details of the risk assessment exercise done by the commission across the 30 local government areas in the state had been shared with the heads of all security agencies in the state.
In a statement jointly signed by state chairman of Accord Party, Pastor Victor Akande, and the lawmaker representing Ila/Ifedayo/Boluwaduro Federal Constituency, Hon. Clement Olohunwa, on Monday, the party said it commended the REC for her commitment to free and fair polls, but picked holes in the report.
Accord said it will engage the commission on the details of the assessment and the background of the consultant who compiled it.
The party argued that the figures do not reflect the realities on ground.
Hon. Olohunwa specifically faulted the inclusion of Ila and Ifedayo Local Governments as kidnapping hotspots.
He said Ila Orangun has never recorded any kidnapping case.
“Until date, Ila Orangun has never witnessed any case of kidnapping,” the lawmaker said.
“The two cases that happened in Ifedayo were strictly at Ora, not the entire local government. After those cases, security agencies secured the area and peace has since been restored.”
He added that tagging Ila and Ifedayo as flashpoints undermines the credibility of the entire risk assessment.
“The entire risk assessment may have misrepresented the level of risk in Osun State. There is no way Osun could have 385 flashpoints. Osun is a largely peaceful state until the last few weeks when APC thugs launched attacks,” Olohunwa said.
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The federal legislator urged the REC to probe the consultant behind the report.
“Many things must have been cooked up. Many false flags may have been included. The REC should review the report to ensure that planning is not done on false data,” he said.
On his part, Pastor Akande said many stakeholders have raised concerns that the 385 flashpoints figure is a ploy to disenfranchise voters in targeted communities.
He described the report as shocking and said Accord will engage INEC to verify its authenticity.
“Our state is peaceful. We don’t have 385 flashpoints. We know the REC has good intentions, but she should review the circumstances surrounding the compilation of the report,” Akande stated.
The Accord chairman also questioned the claim of 200 inaccessible areas in the state, saying the figure appears inflated and further erodes the report’s credibility.
“We don’t want to speak further on the implications of the report. I have received so many reports from stakeholders on the alleged flashpoints. We will engage the commission. We are sure the REC will also review the risk assessment,” he added.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
