By Ayodele Oni, Akure
As results of last Saturday’s election in Ondo state are still being awaited, the All Progressives Congress, (APC), is already salivating victory despite criticisms that trailed the exercise.
Flaws that greeted the exercise include ballot box snatching, open display of thugerry, and falsification of results.
To members of the ruling APC in the state, the exercise was a success, but to opposition parties, it was a sham.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who voted at Ijebu Owo Ward five Unit six in Owo local government, with his wife, Betty, described the election as a huge success, saying the turnout was impressive.
State Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin told journalists in Idanre that there was no violence in the town.
He charged members of his party to conduct themselves the same way during the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.
Adetimehin urged the people of the town to troop out to perform their civic right on October 10, 2020.
Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun
said the ODIEC performed creditably very well. He disclosed that the voting materials arrived early.
But the PDP disagrees.
In a statement, the party justified its decision to boycott the election, saying it was an exercise marked with shameless impunity, unpardonable brigandage, and violence.
“Twenty four hours before the election, APC thugs unleashed violence on opposition parties in Ondo town, Idanre and Owo that attempted to participate in the election. In thousands of polling units, neither voting materials nor ODIEC personnel were seen at about noon on election day. Where they were seen, ballot papers were in short supply.
“We have been vindicated by all the actions of ODIEC and its pay masters as incapable of conducting free and fair elections. They should go ahead and announce the election results as previously compiled in all the wards and local government areas.”
In a statement the party’s publicity secretary, Mr Kennedy Peretei, noted that ODIEC has not only failed the people of Ondo State, it should be disbanded as a matter of urgency, because its outing is not only a sham but shameful.
