The African Democratic Party ( ADC) has rejected the results of Saturday local government election conducted by Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) in Ondo West and Ondo East Local Government areas.
The party has called for its cancellation and urged the electoral body to conduct fresh election
The All Progressives Congress (APC) won in all the 18 local councils of the state with 199 wards while the remaining four wards were cancelled.
The ADC made this known during a press conference on Monday in Ondo.
Speaking, Pastor Oladimeji Owolabi, the Chairman of ADC in Ondo West Local Government, said that the election was characterised by a lot irregularities.
Owolabi stated that there were records of ballot snatching in all the wards in the local council area.
He noted that 95 per cent units of the polling units in the area were marred with rigging being aided by security personnel, saying that none of the party’s agents signed the released results.
According to him, voters were largely intimidated by the APC thugs, adding that any person that resisted them was harassed and beaten.
” It is on records that the election materials meant for wards like 4,5,6,and 13 were diverted to the houses of APC leaders for multiple thumbprinting, therefore, our electorate were totally disenfranchised.
” There were too many cases of multiple thumbprinting in the just concluded council poll in Ondo West Local Government Area and there is need to cancel the election,” he stated.
The party chairman said that there was brutalization of ADC supporters in many polling units, describing the situation as anti-human and condemnable.
” There was an intimidating collaboration between the ODIEC staff, APC thugs and security personnel. Owing to the reasons mentioned, we hereby reject the outcome of the election and also call for its cancellation,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Pius Akinde , the Chairman of ADC in Ondo East Local Government, said that ODIEC should cancel the result in order to douse the tension in the area.
Akinde threatened that the party’s supporters would mobilize and challenge the authority if the alleged stolen mandate was not restored.
” All the irregularities and misconduct by the ODIEC were recorded.
“If not for peace to reign,there would have been violence. If our mandate is not given ,there will be chaos and death, though our leaders have told us not to fight but we will fight if our mandate is not restored,” he threatened.
Dr Ola Felix Akinola, the chairmanship candidate of ADC in Ondo West Local Government, said that the alleged rigging was a well planned act against democracy.
Akinola opined that the Saturday council poll was a setback because it was shrouded in all forms of impunity, saying it was a slap on democracy.
In his words, Mr Wale Akinlosotu, the chairmanship candidate of ADC in Ondo East Local Government, stated that voters overwhelmingly cast their votes for ADC, regretting that the power-that-be hijacked the process in favour of APC.
” This is not acceptable and we cannot accept it. If you know that you are popular, people will state that through their votes.
” The ballot papers were not counted in the collation centre and not certified by presiding officers but counted in Akure,the state capital.
“This is mere injustice. The ruling party should not and must not rule all 18 local government areas by force,allow people to decide.
” I call Mr Governor who is an officer of law, to cancel the election,” he stated.
