PDP calls for cancellation of Ondo governorship poll

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the declaration of All Progressives Congress’ (APC) candidate as the winner of the Ondo State governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“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,” said Dayo Adeyeye, PDP’s national publicity secretary in a statement on Monday.

APC’s Rotimi Akeredolu was pronounced the governor-elect after the poll held Saturday “having fulfilled the requirement of the law and got the highest votes,” Professor Ambali Ganiyu, the returning officer for the election said on Sunday.

Akeredolu polled a total of 224, 846 votes while PDP’s Eyitayo Jegede got 150, 380 votes to come second ahead of Alliance of Democracy’s Olusola Oke who got 126, 889 votes.

But the PDP  said the outcome of the election did not reflect  “the will of the people of Ondo State” alleging that the electoral commission colluded with the ruling APC to rig the election in favour of Akeredolu.

“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,” Adeyeye said.

“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.”

Adeyeye said his party have instructed its candidate  and the Ondo State Chapter of the PDP to proceed to the election petition tribunal to challenge the outcome of the Election.

PDP’s dissension came after the state governor, Olusegun Mimiko, a member of the PDP, congratulated Akeredolu, acknowledging him as the governor-elect.

“It behoves 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,” Mimiko said in a statement.