Rasaq Salinsile-led faction of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, on Monday rejected the result of last Saturday’s governorship primary elections.
The group backed by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, had supported a former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, who lost to the incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
A statement signed by Abiodun Agboola, the factional Publicity Secretary of , after a stakeholders meeting of the group, stated that the primary election was fraught with fraud and manipulation.
Salinsile was quoted as saying that, “We put on record that as of the day of election, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, our governorship aspirant, was not allowed to have access to the membership register with which the exercise took place. By this, he was denied knowledge of how many members the party had as of the day of the election which is contrary to morality and the law.
“We put on record the fact that many people were disenfranchised, as APC members who trooped to the election centres with their membership slips could not find their names on the register. Contrary to the guidelines, accreditation did not take place in many election centres while result sheets were unavailable.
“The appointees of Governor Gboyega Oyetola were the appointed electoral officers and supervisors of the exercise. We note that there were over voting in some areas while the much talked about presence of Independent National Electoral Commission was far-fetched.”
He also alleged that many APC members who were not part of Oyetola’s IleriOluwa Group were chased away from the election centres by thugs.
When contacted for reaction, Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on Political Affairs, Sunday Akere, said members of the APC in the state have chosen their preferred governorship flag bearer.
“We are not surprised they rejected the result. While the primary was on, they raised many frivolous allegations that could not hold water. Osun APC members have decided their flag bearer.
“The governor has extended olive branch to all aggrieved party members. Those that rejected the result can go on appeal but they will not get any result,” Akere said.
Observer groups disagree over primary
Two observer groups that monitored the last Saturday’s primary across the state have expressed divergent opinions regarding the conduct of the election.
Giving report of his team at Osun APC secretariat, Victor Kalu, who spoke on behalf civil society organisations that monitored the poll, said the group observed early arrival of materials and officials at various wards.
He said, “The materials were adequate and evenly distributed. There were no complaints of shortage of materials as observed by us. The electoral officers used the party register in line with the guidelines. The updated party register was used in verifying members and accrediting them.
“After the accreditation, in order to guide against double registration and accreditation, immediately after you are being verified and accredited, an ink will be used to mark your finger to encourage and guide against double registration as observed by us. The voting commence in most of the wards visited by us at 12 noon just as arranged and scheduled.”
But addressing journalists in Osogbo on Monday, the leader of another election observer group called Coalition of Civil Society Organisation in Nigeria, Patrick Usman, said no accreditation took place, where the elections were held, adding that violence, over voting and disenfranchisement of voters as well as, lack of result sheets, marred the poll.
He said, “Our observers were present in 23 local governments to observe the election which took place at collation centre of every of every ward across the state.
“Our team observed that thousands of party members at the collation centres of the 332 wards complained of their names missing on the displayed party’s register. This led to disenfranchisement of numerous eligible voters in ward 15, Oyan, ward 5, Apomu, ward 8, Ilesa, ward 8, Ayetoro, Osogbo, ward 3, 4 and 5, Osogbo local government.
“There was also non accreditation. In few places where accreditations were held, they were shambolic. There was also generally lack of result sheets at the wards where we observed election. The election fell short of acceptable standard as it was grossly marred by violence and issues of electoral irregularities, operational and logistics challenges among others.”
We’re happy for you, South West APC govs tell Oyetola
The All Progressives Congress Governors from the South West have congratulated the Governor of Osun State, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, on his victory at the primary election held on Saturday.
Rising from a meeting held at the Ondo State Lodge and chaired by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the governors said the victory was well-deserved, noting that it was victory for internal democracy and for the people of the state.
Speaking on behalf of the governors, Chairman of the APC Southwest Governors Forum, Akeredolu said the meeting was called to discuss some matters of interest to the party and to rejoice with Oyetola.
He said, “We came out of the APC Southwest Governors Forum meeting to discuss our position on a few things.
“But most importantly, all of us decided to meet to jointly congratulate our colleague, the governor of Osun State who recently won his primary election in a manner we expected.
“All of us are happy for him and that is why we all stayed long to discuss, throw banters and share happy moments with him.”
He said the APC Southwest Governors’ position on the postponement of the national convention of the party, will be made known at an enlarged meeting of the party, which will be held later in the evening.
The meeting was attended by Akeredolu; Oyetola; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
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