LAGOS, Federal Republic of Nigeria. (Report by Abdulwahab Abdulah) — Oodua Peoples Congress [OPC] yesterday urged indigenes and non-indigenes in the South-West not to exercise fears over Saturday’s polls, saying, their security was guaranteed.
OPC in a statement signed by its president, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, disclosed that his group has mapped out plans to protect both indigens and non-indigens residing in the south-west during and after the polls.
Fasehun assured that he had mandated his members to ensure that no one was intimidated or molested before and after the poll.
He said, “OPC is a frontline group for the defence of Yoruba interests and the dispensation of social justice to sojourners in the South-West. And we shall be doing everything to make everyone feel safe throughout the duration of the electoral process, before, during and after voting,” he said.
He also promised the cooperation of the OPC with security agencies to guarantee the safety of all voters, indigenes and non-indigenes alike within and outside Lagos.
“Yoruba cherishes its republican and cosmopolitan outlook, and this cannot be abridged by anybody and any institution,” he said, adding, “OPC will continue to maintain its position of defending people’s liberty, including the freedom to vote for parties and candidates of their choice.”
According to him, any attempt to browbeat voters into towing a particular political path violated Chapter 4 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guaranteed citizens the Right to dignity of human persons, Right to personal liberty, Right to freedom of thought, Right to freedom from discrimination and Right to peaceful assembly and association.
