…accuses some INEC officials of compromise
…alerts electorate to be vigilant
By Miracle Ogunde
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt the forthcoming Saturday governorship election in the state.
The party accused some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conniving with the APC to manipulate the election outcome.
These allegations were made at a press conference held on Thursday at the PDP Secretariat in Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital.
Addressing journalists, Chairman of the Agboola Ajayi Campaign Council, Dr Eddy Olafeso, alerted the public to a recent attack allegedly carried out by suspected APC thugs on PDP members in Idanre, calling on security agencies to take swift action to apprehend the culprits.
The statement partly reads: “Gentlemen of the Press, we have invited you this morning to inform you about activities of some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) capable of breaching the peace hitherto experienced in the build-up to the November 16 gubernatorial poll in our Sunshine State.
“In the early hours of Wednesday, 13th November 2024, a well-known APC thug in Idanre Local Government, by name Oyewole Aderemi (aka Gulder), led a group of thugs to attack PDP supporters, with guns and machetes, unprovoked. Seven persons were seriously wounded, especially Otunba Olowoniyi Akinlemimu, who is still on admission at the Intensive Care Unit of the State Specialists Hospital, Akure. Others are still receiving treatment after bullets were extracted from their bodies.
“Up till this moment, no arrests have been made, and the assailants were given VIP treatment at the APC Grand Finale rally, which was attended by the National Chairman of APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and Vice President Kashim Shettima,” the statement stated.
The party also accused the Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, of plotting to use officers of the Immigration Service to participate in the coming election.
“We also have it on good authority that the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has approved the mobilisation of officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Customs, and Nigeria Correctional Service to participate in the Ondo election. Given the antecedents of the Minister, where those who contested the APC House of Representatives primary election against his favoured candidate were arrested and brutalised by paramilitary agencies under his supervision, we have reason to believe that he may be up to the same antics now.
“The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, assured the people of Ondo State that 22,239 officers will be on duty on election day. This number, we believe, is sufficient to guarantee the safety of the electorate and election materials. We condemn in very strong terms any attempt by the Minister of Interior to use his privileged position in government to undermine a peaceful election in Ondo State.”
Speaking further, Olafeso warned that any attempt to disrupt the election would be strongly resisted by the Ondo residents.
“These actions of members of the APC are clearly in violation of the Peace Accord signed by all parties participating in this election. Any attempt to compromise a free, fair, credible, and transparent election will be resisted through all lawful means.
“We use this medium to plead with all security agencies to be very professional in discharging their duties. We urge them to remember that a compromised election process is a direct invitation to anarchy. We are a peace-loving people who abhor violence but will resist attempts to take us for granted.
“There is no amount of intimidation and threats that can save the APC from suffering monumental defeat come November 16. We also urge our supporters not to be provoked, no matter what.
“At the stakeholders’ meeting on the 2024 Ondo State Governorship Election, held on Thursday, 7th November 2024, in Akure, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, spoke glowingly about the Commission’s readiness to transmit election results from each polling unit, but the news circulating is contrary to the assurance earlier given by Prof. Yakubu. For the integrity of INEC, it is necessary that the Commission comes clean on the transmission of election results, which was a sore point in the Edo election,” the statement concluded.
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