Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Monday asked corps members serving in the state to shun violence, corruption and not allow themselves to be used by anyone to perpetrate rigging during the coming elections.
Aregbesola spoke during the closing ceremony of the orientation course for the 2018 Batch B corps members, at the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Ede, Osun.
The governor said corps members would be engaged in the state for the Sept. 22 governorship election and admonished them not to let the trust reposed in them as neutral agents come to naught.
“You all have been rightly informed during the swearing-in ceremony of your role in the forthcoming election in the state.
“Ensure you abide by the advice which came to you through seasoned officers of the scheme and it’s collaborating agencies when you are called upon for participation in the election process in the course of your service year.
“Shun violence and corruption, ensure that the votes of every citizen at the polling units count and do not allow yourselves to be used by anyone to perpetrate rigging during the process.
“Remember, your family, the scheme and the nation at large are looking up to you, and so, do not let the trust reposed in you by these people be at naught,” he said
Mr Emmanuel Attah, the Coordinator of NYSC in Osun, in his own speech, said the training they received were designed to prepare them physically, mentally and emotionally for the challenging tasks of nation-building.
Attah said the training had also taught them what it meant to pay the price of leadership, enjoining the corps members to remember that they are ambassadors of the scheme and should live up to expectation.
He equally reiterated the roles the corps members would be playing in the coming state governorship election and admonished them to be neutral and apolitical in their work, words and actions.
The State Coordinator said the NYSC is apolitical and does not belong to any political party, warning corps members to avoid corrupt politicians who might want to induce them.
He said any corps member who ran afoul of the Electoral Act when called to participate in the electoral process would face the full wrath of the law.
Attah warned them to be careful, as they have their name, names of their families and NYSC scheme to protect.
