The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed that its candidate in the Osun State governorship election, Ademola Adeleke, will participate in tomorrow’s supplementary election.It also demanded the immediate resignation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, because of his “role in the fraudulent manipulations that characterised the September 22, 2018, Osun State governorship election.”
The opposition party further called for the resignation of Mrs. Amina Zakari, INEC’s Director of Operations, who is also in charge of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Department.At a press conference addressed by the PDP’s national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja yesterday, the party said: “With INEC’s fraudulent conduct in the Osun governorship election and approval that a concluded election be declared inconclusive, the PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians no longer have confidence in Prof. Yakubu.
“It is completely inexcusable that Prof. Yakubu presides over an atrocious and compromised electoral umpire that manipulates electoral processes, doctors figures, allocates fictitious votes and subverts the will of the people in an election.” The party alleged that INEC has increased the original number of voters in the affected polling centres by over 850, so as to expand its latitude to manipulate results with uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The PDP therefore asked INEC to declare the total number of PVCs collected in all the seven units where the supplementary election would take place tomorrow.Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the state party chairman, Soji Adagunodo, alleged that the APC is cloning PVCs with a view to rigging election at the polling units.
“APC has gone to seven polling units on massive vote buying, offering money ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 per card. Also, INEC is now selling uncollected PVCs to APC at the rate of N3,000 per one,” he said.
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But INEC in a statement yesterday promised it would ensure every vote counts and that access would be given to all parties during the rerun. INEC added that its staff, Salawu, Mutiu Kolawole did not destroy the result sheet for the said election, saying they are intact in the custody of the commission and copies of the same are with agents of the 48 political parties that contested the governorship election.
Also, a national peace committee, headed by a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), held a meeting with INEC, security agencies and representatives of registered political parties. Explaining the mission, Abubakar said: “We are all aware that we are approaching the 2019 election. Already, you are very much aware how the polity is being heated as a result of which we have decided to step up our action in ensuring that there is peace in the country and the politicians play by the rule of the game, and also the security agencies and the INEC play their role accordingly.”
In a related development, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has adjourned indefinitely the certificate forgery suit instituted against Adeleke by two chieftains of the APC, Wahab Raheem and Adam Omosalewa Habeeb. Justice Othman Musa adjourned the matter sine die due to the absence of the plaintiffs and the plaintiffs’ counsel, Akomolafe Bankole.
The APC chieftains had through their counsel instituted the action seeking the disqualification of Adeleke from participating in the governorship election on the ground that he does not possess the requisite educational qualification.
Meanwhile, the rerun election has suddenly thrown up the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore, as a beautiful bride for the APC and the PDP. Omisore’s party came third with 128,049 votes. Adeleke had 254,698 votes while the APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, polled 254,345.
The governor-elect of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday led a delegation of APC stalwarts to Omisore with the offer of a senatorial or ministerial slot, if he aligns with the ruling party at the rerun.
President Muhammadu Buhari had picked Fayemi on his entourage to New York for the United Nations meeting. But following the inconclusive poll, he was said to have asked Fayemi to return to Osun for the critical assignment.Senate President Bukola Saraki and PDP presidential aspirant has already met with Omisore. Also, another PDP presidential aspirant and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, visited the SDP chieftain.
Omisore had told Saraki: “I have given my programmes to both APC and PDP. My programme is payment of salaries and pensions. Good governance is what is important to me. Anyone between the two that will do that will get my support. I am passionate about Osun and my interest is the welfare of the people of this state. I have told those sent to me. At the appropriate time, we will tell you where we are going.”
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