Ebun Francis
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State. In a statement on Monday, Dapo Adeyeye, the Party’s spokesman described the outcome of the election as a “charade and not the true reflection of the will of the people of Ondo state.” He claimed that the election was rigged in favour of APC, stating that INEC has now “graduated from inconclusive Elections as seen in Kogi, Bayelsa, Osun, FCT, Imo, Nassarawa and some other previous By-Elections in the Country to ‘Advanced Election Rigging’, as in the
case of Edo and Ondo States Gubernatorial Elections”.
According to Adeyeye, “it is common knowledge that the APC Agents openly bought votes of the electorates in the full glare of security operatives who did nothing to prevent such dastardly violation of the Electoral Law.
“It is not surprising that the electorates in Ondo state became so vulnerable to the corruptive influence of the APC because of the hash economic situation in the Country inflicted on Nigerians by the APC Administration which have indeed made all Nigerians virtually beggars in their own Country.”
“The actions of INEC in collaboration with the APC led Administration left us no time to campaign and sell our Candidate and Party Manifesto to the electorates in Ondo State.
“Our persistent call for the postponement of the Election which was backed and supported by more than 20 other political parties were all rejected by INEC which were acting the script of the APC.
“It was a carefully planned and well-orchestrated strategy to rig the Election well in advance by preventing the PDP from planning and campaigning for the Election. The APC has hereby introduced a new formula of rigging Election in Nigeria.
“In view of the fact that the Election was blatantly manipulated from the beginning to the end to favour the APC, we vehemently reject the results of the November 26, 2016 Gubernatorial Election in Ondo State,” he said.
He also said Saturday’s election and all actions leading to it fell short of laid down principles guiding conduct of elections in Nigeria.
“We have instructed our Candidate and the Ondo State Chapter of our Party to proceed to the Tribunal to challenge the Outcome of the Election.
“We call on the Judiciary to redeem Nigeria’s image on this matter as we request for the total Cancellation of the Election in Ondo State,” the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, the Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko earlier on Monday congratulated the state’s Governor-elect, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Eni Akinsola, Mimiko said, “it behoves on me as Governor of Ondo State to congratulate the Governor-elect, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and wish him success in the challenging task of governing our dear state.”
The out going governor added that “it is incumbent upon me as Governor to facilitate smooth transition between my government and the incoming one. I will, to this end, provide the ambience for a smooth and seamless transition process.”
“I use this medium to express my sincere appreciation to all our citizens for the very peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves throughout the election period.
“I will not waiver in providing needed leadership to our dear state till the last day of my term.”
He then urged residents to strive to sustain the peace enjoyed in the state for the past seven years and promised to speak with the people as occasion demands “as my eight-year tenure inches to an end,” the governoe said.