Senator AdelekeThe governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has cried out to the international community alleging threat to his life and his supporters ahead of the rerun governorship poll tomorrow, Thursday, even as the state government declared the day public holiday..
In a statement in Osogbo today, Wednesday by the spokesperson of Adeleke Campaign Organisation, Rasheed Olawale, Adeleke said: “I am constrained to write this letter to intimate you, our diplomatic partners and friends of despotic happenings in Osun governorship polls which I won but for which I was not declared the winner. My life is under threat and the leaders of my party are under siege before and after Saturday main polls.
“During the campaigns, we were subjected to countless attacks. I escaped about four assassination attempts. Our campaign vehicles were severally attacked and our rallies disrupted. We went through the pre-election process under constant onslaught from political thugs and merchants of violence.
“Despite the violence-prone climate, I still won the election. On live television, our votes were removed and protestations for re-addition of the votes were rejected. Votes for the ruling party were jerked up and again the electoral umpire refused to correct the arithmetical errors. After all the manipulations which saw about 4000 votes removed from my total votes, I still won by close to 400 votes.
“In a brazen assault on democracy, the returning officer, in open breach of the constitution refused to declare me the winner even after fulfilling constitutional stipulations. The officer erroneously justified declaration of the election as inconclusive based on violence in seven out of about 3000 voting units across the state. It was a travesty of justice that is under challenge in the court of law.”
Copies of the letter, according to Olawale, were sent to the United Nations; European Union; the United States and several diplomatic missions in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the State Government declared tomorrow, Thursday “work free” day for civil servants to participate in the supplementary governorship election.
Media aide to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Sola Fasure, said in a statement issued in Osogbo, the Osun State capital that the declaration is to allow the work force join other residents to exercise their franchise in the affected seven polling units where the election will hold.
“The State Government of Osun has declared Thursday, September 27, 2018 a public holiday throughout the state.
“This is to enable workers to participate in the rerun governorship election taking place in seven units in Ife-North, Ife-South, Orolu and Osogbo Local Government Areas of the State.”
Thursday election would be a horse race between Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
