With less than 72 hours to Saturday governorship poll in Osun, a group, identified as Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizenship Awareness, on Thursday charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver a credible exercise that would promote ideals of democracy.

The group also cautioned politicians against incitement and inflammatory remarks that could trigger violence and attacks capable of causing mayhem in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the Director-General of the group, Dr Nwambu Gabriel, while presenting pre-election report, emphasised the need for INEC to firm up its technological devices including Bimodal Accreditation System (BVAS) to avoid glitches during Saturday’s election.

Recalling a recent mock accreditation exercise across 12 LGAs by the electoral umpire, spanning the three Senatorial Districts to simulate election day procedures, where few technical glitches were reported, he charged INEC to guard against recurrence during the polls.

Nwambu stated: “We reiterate that the electorate is intolerant of any technical failures. The mock exercise was meant to build confidence and assure voters that their choices will count-not act as a source of discouragement. INEC must act immediately to guarantee the integrity and flawless operation of the BVAS.”

He, however, lauded the electoral umpire for the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which increased the number of registered voters in Osun State from 1,954,800 to 2,339,233.

“This addition of 384,000 new registrants is a resounding indicator of heightened civic consciousness and growing public interest in democratic participation, “Nwambu noted.

He, however, raised concern that “this positive trajectory is currently being threatened by rising political tensions, inflammatory hate speech, electoral violence, and technological uncertainties.”

While warning political parties and gladiators against actions and statements that could trigger crisis, Nwambu underscored the need for all, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political divides to allow peace and unity before, during and after the election.