ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the June 20 election in Ekiti State, Wole Oluyede, has rejected the outcome of the poll announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the exercise as flawed and lacking credibility.
The position of Oluyede was conveyed in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Monday by the Director of Media and Communications of the Oluyede Campaign Organisation, Sanya Atofarati.
INEC had declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress winner of the election.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, announced that Oyebanji secured 319,224 votes to retain his seat, while Oluyede polled 40,543 votes to finish second.
The African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, came third with 12,872 votes.
A total of 15 political parties participated in the election.
Oluyede’s rejection of the result came barely a day after the ADC candidate, Bejide, also dismissed the outcome of the exercise, insisting that the election lacked credibility.
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In the statement, Atofarati said the Oluyede Campaign Organisation “hereby unequivocally rejects the results announced by INEC in respect of the just concluded Ekiti State Governorship Election.”
He assured party members, supporters and residents of the state that the campaign remained committed to pursuing justice through legal and democratic channels.
According to him, “the declared outcome does not, in our considered view, reflect the true will and democratic aspirations of the people of Ekiti State.
“The election process was deeply flawed and fell far short of the standards of credibility, transparency, fairness and integrity expected in a democratic society.”
The campaign organisation alleged that reports from its agents, supporters and voters indicated widespread electoral malpractices during the exercise.
“Throughout the election, our agents, supporters and numerous voters reported widespread irregularities, including vote buying, voter intimidation, harassment of opposition supporters, and other practices that undermined the sanctity of the electoral process.
“These incidents, taken together, cast serious doubts on the credibility of the exercise and the authenticity of the results subsequently declared,” Atofarati stated.
The PDP campaign also expressed concern over the conduct of some security personnel during the election, alleging that their actions undermined public trust in the electoral process.
The statement added that some security operatives allegedly failed to maintain neutrality and contributed to an atmosphere of fear, intimidation and unfairness during the poll.
“We believe that the actions and inactions of certain security authorities contributed significantly to the atmosphere of fear, intimidation and unfairness witnessed during the election,” Atofarati said.
The campaign organisation further argued that events surrounding the election suggested that the outcome had been predetermined, thereby denying Ekiti voters the opportunity to freely choose their leaders.
“The events surrounding this election suggest a process whose outcome appeared predetermined, thereby depriving the people of Ekiti State of their fundamental right to freely choose their leaders. This is not only a disservice to democracy but also a dangerous precedent that must not be allowed to stand,” the statement added.
Despite its grievances, the campaign urged party faithful and supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding while consultations continue on the next line of action.
“We urge our members, supporters and indeed all lovers of democracy to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding while we continue to consult widely and take appropriate steps to defend the mandate freely given to our candidate,” the statement read.