Sharing kerosene, rice to voters against democratic ethos, says Governorship Candidate
The Governorship Candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) Osun state, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi has faulted the on-going distribution of kerosene, foodstuff and cloths to electorate by some political parties in the state, saying it was against democratic culture.
Akinwusi regretted that some wealthy politicians both within and outside the state were only utilizing the high level of poverty in the land to woo unsuspecting citizens to their sides by sharing kerosene and foodstuffs to voters.
The SDP candidate in an interview in Osogbo, on Tuesday, called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to check the excesses of both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who he alleged were deeply involved in such acts.
Akinwusi stated, “I have told people who do not have conscience to collect these things from them but those who have conscience should reject them.
“It is disgraceful that the two parties are holding sway at both the national and the state levels and have all failed in eradicating poverty. Now, election is at the corner and they are spending little of our stolen collective wealth in their which could have been used to turn the lives of people around as baits to catch people into their nets.
The former Head of Service (HOS) regretted that rather than moving around to campaign about issues and how to bring about a better governance, “both APC and PDP leaders going around the state sharing money, kerosene, rice, beans and so on”.
He charged voters to be wary of both the APC and the PDP, warning that whatever they were distributing now to induce voters would be their “dividends of democracy” for four years if any of the party emerges as winner.
“For us, we have established ourselves in the heart of people. We joined the SDP without rolling in millions of naira and today our party stands the best chance of winning the August 9, 2014 poll.
“The difference between us and those people was that while they are running around inducing people, it is people who know our worth and what we are capable of doing that are coming around to identify with us”, he stated.
Asked while prominent politicians have not joined the SDP in the state, Akinwusi said, “We see those so-called big politicians moving around between two parties because they think there would be something to share. But with us, they know they are going to contribute to help the party grows, so, they won’t come”.
He urged the electorate to close their eyes to what he called, ‘rent-a-crow” rallies, while explaining that voting for SDP in the August election would bring about better governance, full employment for youth, economic turn-around and rejuvenated public service.
