Police, corps members aid election rigging, says Deji Adeleke

…Warns Electoral Malpractices, Weak Rule of Law Scare Investors Away

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

Billionaire businessman and founder of Adeleke University, Dr Deji Adeleke, has expressed concern over electoral malpractices and weak adherence to the rule of law, warning that such challenges are discouraging investors from doing business in Nigeria.

Adeleke said continued loss of investor confidence could worsen unemployment and accelerate the migration of young Nigerians seeking better opportunities abroad.

He spoke on Saturday while addressing graduates during the 12th and 8th undergraduate and postgraduate convocation ceremony of Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State.

The businessman also criticised what he described as the role of some security personnel and ad hoc electoral workers in undermining the credibility of elections in the country.

Adeleke, while referring to the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, questioned how the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman could personally monitor thousands of polling units, stressing that the responsibility placed on election officials required integrity and accountability.

“Osun State has 3,763 polling units. Is it humanly impossible for the INEC chairman to be at all those polling units at the same time? But they have entrusted it to young people like you and yet they collect money and change the figures,” he said.

He alleged that some police personnel deployed for election duties also compromise the process despite the need to protect the future of their families and the country.

Adeleke further accused some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving as INEC ad hoc staff of compromising election results at polling units.

“Graduates like you who become ad hoc staff of INEC are colluding with politicians to change election figures. You cannot blame that on the INEC chairman when Corps members are collecting money and changing figures at the polling unit,” he said.

He urged young Nigerians to uphold integrity and resist actions capable of undermining democracy, saying credible elections and the rule of law were essential to attracting investment and creating jobs.

Adeleke also lamented that Nigerians were being subjected to hardship and discrimination abroad because of limited economic opportunities at home.

“It is unfortunate that Nigerians are being embarrassed, harassed and intimidated to leave countries like South Africa and Ghana just because our country does not provide opportunities for them to thrive,” he said.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Adeleke University, Professor Solomon Adebola, announced that 1,375 students graduated during the convocation, with 160 undergraduates earning first-class honours.

Adebola said the institution, which has existed for 15 years, had continued to expand its academic programmes and strengthen its engagement with stakeholders.

He added that the university remained committed to becoming one of the leading universities globally, noting that it had introduced new professional programmes, including Medicine and Pharmacy, with the support of its Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr Adedeji Adeleke.

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