PDP condemns Ogun LG polls, weighs tribunal option

The Ogun State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday condemned the conduct of the 2024 Local Government election, in which the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious by sweeping all the 20 chairmanship and 236 councilorship seats.

Speaking against the backdrop of the just-concluded local government election, which turned violent in some areas of the state, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abayomi Tella, described the LG poll as a “sham,” in which the state’s Independent Electoral Commission engaged in systematic rigging “in favour of its paymaster.”

Tella alleged that several polling units in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state, where PDP candidates were initially declared winners, were later manipulated in favour of the candidate of the ruling APC.

Also, PDP governorship candidate in the 2023 general election, Hon. Adebutu, disclosed that the LG election held over the weekend was one of the worst local government elections in the history of the state.

Adebutu stated that some leaders and members of the main opposition political party were specifically targeted and attacked by hoodlums allegedly on the payroll of the APC, stressing that his personal home in Iperu-Remo was not spared in the attacks as the hoodlums invaded his household and unleashed terror on his aides and residents.

Adebutu added that armed policemen also stormed his house and opened fire, a situation which led to one of his police details being hit by a bullet.

“Our rights were trampled upon on Saturday. Military personnel were unleashed on civilians. Out of 5,442 polling units in the state, elections did not take place in over 4,000 units. One would then wonder where the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) got all the votes they announced.

“They brought a heavy detachment of police to attack my household. They attacked my aides and security details. Hoodlums were unleashed on us. One of my security details was shot and his rifle was carted away by the hoodlums.

“Efele, a transport union leader, was seen in a convoy of policemen driving around during the election to attack PDP supporters and leaders in Odogbolu Local Government Area.

“Soldiers arrested voters and took them to the barracks in Ilese-Ijebu.

“I have no personal issues with Governor Abiodun, but I have issues with him on his poor performance in office. His administration has borrowed more money than all the past governments with nothing to show for it. And now, he has successfully supervised an election that is ranked as the worst so far in the history of one of the leading states in the country.”

While condemning the violence that accompanied the LG poll, the former House of Reps member flayed the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, for allowing such a “sham” to take place under his watch.

When asked whether his party would approach the court to seek redress, the party’s chairman, Tella, however, said that the Ogun PDP legal team was still studying the outcome of the election, declaring that “we will not fold our arms and allow the situation to go unchallenged.”