APC connives with INEC to rig Osun election -PDP

By Olawale Adewale, The Nigerian Voice, Osogbo 

The People's Democratic Party (PDP), Osun state chapter, today accused the All Progressive Congress of conniving with the Independent Nations Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the gubernatorial election conducted in the state yesterday.

The Chairman of PDP in the state, Hon Soji Adagunodo while briefing journalists at the residence of the candidate of the party, Senator Ademola Adeleke expressed worry that INEC refused to declare the winner of the election after a successful poll.

According to him, "The whole world has just witnessed a blatant rape of democracy,a deliberate thwarting of people's will and a reprehensible assault on the aspiration of Osun voters .

"Today was meant to be a day of liberation from bad government and inhuman rulership; anti-people politicians have delayed the day of celebration and freedom from oppressors and slave holders.

"The whole world saw how our party and candidate were denied victory in a hotly contested election. In that election, we fought against the multiple forces of state deployed against us with reckless abandon.

"From the beginning ,our party and candidate were subjected to coordinated assaults and protracted litigations, assault and blackmail.

"The entire electoral process was programmed to favour the ruling All Progressive Congress. We raised several critical issues bordering on fake polling units , deployment of unclaimed PVCs, inducements of Corp members , unholy partnership with security agencies ,purchase and cloning of PVC,open monetary payments to voters among others.

"All issues raised by our party were ignored by the electoral commission and relevant agencies.

The level of impunity demonstrated by the electoral umpire in connivance with other federal agencies was unrivalled in Nigerian electoral history. Our party went to the election with only one weapon at our disposal -the unalloyed loyalty and support of Osun people.

"This was well demonstrated at the polls with our candidate ,Senator Ademola Adeleke widely supported by the people.

Despite all these malfeasance however, our candidate Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke satisfied the conditions laid down by law to be declared winner of the Governorship election conducted yesterday; having scored the highest number of votes cast and obtained a quarter of votes cast in all 30 local governments of Osun state.

"We therefore condemn the decision of INEC not to declare our candidate as the winner of the election despite fulfilling all stipulated constitutional and legal requirements.

He noted that Nigerian constitution is clear on requirements to be declared winner of a Governorship election.