Edo election, another coup, rape on democracy

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, has expressed dismay over the outcome of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.

Ajayi, who described the election as a rape on democracy, berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) for their alleged role in the electoral process.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, was declared the winner of the election by INEC after securing 291,667 votes, while Asue Ighodalo of the PDP polled 247,274 votes, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) came a distant third with 22,763 votes.

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Agboola Ajayi Campaign Organisation, Ayo Fadaka, it was stated that the collation of the votes lacked the necessary electoral procedures.

Ajayi, however, warned that come November 16, Ondo State residents will not tolerate such irregularities, stressing that the electorate will vote against hunger and hardship at the polls.

He said: “The Edo State Governorship Election results represent another rape on democracy in Nigeria, and for the umpteenth time, we declare that this is absolutely condemnable, as it betrays a total disregard for the electoral desires of the people as validly expressed through the ballot.

“Nigerians are not fooled by the officially declared result by INEC; they know that the PDP won that election, and this is a shame on those who sit atop our affairs.

“It is disappointing that INEC could disregard the electoral law by shifting the collation of votes from the designated local government collation centres to its headquarters in Benin; this is expressly against the electoral law.

“We also condemn the role of the Police AIG who led the operation halting collation, and its relocation to INEC Headquarters indeed led the coup against democracy in Edo State; it is a shame on him and the institution he represents.

“In Ondo State, we have taken due cognisance of these dastardly acts committed by agencies saddled with the responsibility to provide level playing grounds and sadly failed to live up to expectations; it is a shameful act that lowers the status and respect due to Nigeria in the community of nations.

“However, we are prepared to ensure that rules will be followed in our election, which comes up in November. We need to underscore that we will not acquiesce or take kindly to any act geared towards compromising votes in our election.

“We state emphatically for all to see and hear that Ondo is not Edo; our attitude, understanding, and patience differ. We will vote and protect our vote here. We are resolved to give everything to ensure that the electoral desires of our people will command attention and attain the desired goals.

“As they say, politics is local; in Ondo State, the people are already protesting against the hardship imposed on them by the APC government; they are protesting against hunger, lack, and want. Ondo State people are protesting against a high inflationary trend that has denied them not only the future but even the present!

“In Ondo State, we are already protesting against a party, the APC, and a government that has institutionalised hardship, penury, and poverty, and our protest day is the 16th of November. We thus sound a note of warning to those whose trade is the compromise of ballots that danger looms if they seek to tamper with our votes.

“Nigeria is either a democratic nation or not; for us, we won’t have a parody of an election here; votes must count here. Let the APC and its rigging headquarters in Owerri begin to realise that now.

“We warn that INEC must be responsible and the police civil in the prosecution of our election; a word, as they say, is enough for the wise.”