AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS KICKS AGAINST AMOSUN’S ELECTORAL VICTORY, ALLEGES ELECTORAL FRAUD

The party emphasized that, compendium of malfeasance greeted the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State, declaring that, African Democratic Congress(APC) will not fold its arms for repeat in the forthcoming Governorship and Assembly elections.

‘As you are aware, we are currently in the midst of the 2019 general elections having just concluded the first set – being the National Assembly and Presidential elections; and for us as a campaign organization, there are certain take-away from the exercise. This has become imperative because we face the Gubernatorial election in ten days’ time and we do not wish that the compendium of malfeasance that greeted those elections be repeated’.

‘Prior to the February 23rd elections, the Gubernatorial candidate of our party, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka had cause to address the media on the socioeconomic and political situation of Ogun state;  and if we recall vividly, he alluded to plans by the ruling APC and its offshoot APM – to compromise these elections to their advantage’.

The party alleged that, the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) encouraged the use of fake police/army officers; fake youth corps members;  as well as violence, and use of known All Progressives Congress(APC) members as ad-hoc officials and compromise of card readers and polling officers among several others.

‘The note of warning sounded then was to deter the perpetrators from proceeding with their plan and also to nudge INEC on the right path of guarding against these plans. It is unfortunate to note that our warning was not heeded. The National Assembly elections was indeed marred with not just the identified plans but much more than we could envisage; suffice to say that, the February 23rd election in Ogun state was an elaborate charade’, the party emphasied.

Penpushing further reports that, the Director General noted that, as a responsible party and campaign organization, ‘we are not raising red herring or crying foul where there is none but our disappointment and disapproval of this process stems from the fact that we saw it ahead, cried out, yet INEC and the security apparatus ware handicap while antidemocratic forces had their way’.

The party buttressing its claims and allegations catalogued them as follows; there were deliberate discrepancies in the numbers and unexplained disappearance of ballot papers distributed to some local governments when compared to the numbers from state distribution centre (CBN).

*Two prominent examples include Imeko-Afon local government missing a total of 6,050 ballot papers and Ajilete ward in Yewa-South local government missing 5,500. In the case of Imeko-Afon, it took sustained media agitation and harassment of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner before supplementary ballot papers where brought to remedy the tense situation.

*For Ajilete, the missing ballot papers were never recovered; and after intense pressure, they brought 3,000 ballot papers from another location that did not have same serial numbers with that of Ajilete – which we rejected and got the AEO to sign an undertaking to discount the missing 5,500 and vote with the leftover.

*Non enforcement of open-secret ballot system because in many locations, voters were surreptitiously allowed to display their voting preferences to lurking arty agents; with active connivance of some security officers and polling officers.

*Inexperienced and poorly trained ad-hoc staffs and polling agents that were at times confused. Compromised ad-hoc staffs loyal to the ruling party were used in many polling booths across the state. Blatant use of fake Youth Corps unknown to INEC; and in most cases, these persons were loyalist of the ruling APC and APM.

*Use of fake police officers in many polling booths. The example of the apprehended fake officer at Ijako Orile, Yewa North readily comes to mind; while our party members observed these fake officers in several other locations.

*There was multiple voting in many location by individuals; indicative of compromise of officials or failure of card reader accreditation. Voting was stopped in some locations due to dried ink as voters were incapable of thumb-printing any longer. There are recorded incidences of voting in certain booths without card readers working; contrary to provisions of the electoral act 2010 (As amended) and INEC guidelines.

*Another very unfortunate recorded malfeasance include the thuggery at Ipokia local government where a particular candidate that felt he must win that local government deployed thugs to unleash mayhem in many polling booths; chasing away many voters who fled for safety; and in the process, a police officer was shot dead while many sustained injuries.

*There was also sporadic shooting at Laderin estate; as early as 4:30 a:m; a ploy used to scare away voters. Ladies and gentlemen, what we have chronicled are few of the incidental fraud that was the lot of that election.

Penpushing also reports that, the campaign organization pointed out that  as we face the Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly election on March 9th, 2019, ‘we are again calling the attention of INEC, the Police and all relevant agencies to these wanton irregularities in order not to have a repeat episode.

‘We are conscious that the stakes in the next election are high and the opposition will be more determined to up their rigging plans. We want to sound a note of warning to these political parties that the robbery and fraud they went away with last Saturday will not be tolerated next week’,Ojesina stated.

‘We have also been inundated with plans by these people to create an atmosphere that will prevent many voters from coming out to vote due to fear of the unknown. We hereby use this medium to tell Ogun state citizens not to exercise any fear whatsoever. They should come out and vote according to their conscience and not be intimidated’.

‘More importantly, we again urge both INEC and Police particularly, to treat our concerns as very important and germane to having a free, fair and credible election that day.  To the Media also, we believe it is part of your duty as the fourth estate of the realm and guardian of society – to call out candidates and political parties that engage in these atrocities. We enjoin you to be vigilant as you move around that day and report event as seen’.

‘The ADC and Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka are committed to making life more abundant for the citizenry visa good people-focused governance. Once again, we thank the good people of Ogun state that voted for the ADC in the last election; while urging them to go out on the 9th of March and elect GNI as the next governor of this state’

Penpushing further reports that, the African Democratic Congress(ADC) said elections should not be a do or die affair, and called on electorates that  all hands must be on deck to make it happen in Ogun State and avoid  not be turned into a war zone; and on free and fair elections we stand.