Osun Guber Poll: INEC May Source Vehicles Outside NURTW Amid Transport Union Crisis

Osun Guber Poll: INEC May Source Vehicles Outside NURTW Amid Transport Union Crisis

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it is making alternative arrangements for the transportation of election materials for the August 15 governorship poll in Osun State amid the ongoing crisis within the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in the state.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that panic gripped residents and traders in Osogbo on Monday as rival gangs clashed over the control of motor parks.

Eyewitnesses said the crisis erupted in the morning when members of two opposing groups stormed the parks, brandishing guns, cutlasses and other weapons in a bid to forcefully take over revenue collection and leadership of the garages.

The Osun State Police Command also confirmed a violent clash between the two factions on Monday evening.

The Command said the crisis began after a faction of the union protested being denied access to motor parks by the dominant group.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Commission who spoke on condition of anonymity said INEC may opt to source vehicles outside the NURTW structure for the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials.

According to the official, the decision is to ensure the integrity of the electoral process and prevent any disruption to logistics.

“The commission will not want the integrity of the election to be compromised. We are looking at alternative transport platforms to ensure materials are moved safely and on time,” the official said.

The official added that the management of the Commission is working on options that will guarantee independent movement of election materials.

“We won’t hand over election materials to politically affiliated groups. We will make sure materials are independently distributed. The commission leadership is working on this line of thought,” the source stated, while assuring that the current situation in motor parks across the state will not affect the distribution of election materials.

Efforts to get the reaction of INEC spokesperson in Osun proved abortive as his line was not connecting and messages sent to him were not replied to at the time of this report.