PDP Osun refutes Aregbesola's Victory

Aregbesola (left), Omisore (right)
Reacting to the news that the APC’s Rauf Aregbesola will continue to rule Osun State for the next four years, the state chapter of the PDP has protested the election results.

The Punch reports that Bola Ajao, the agent for the Peoples Democratic Party in the election and the Publicity secretary for the state, has refused to sign the election results form handed at the INEC office and distanced the party from the results of the poll.

The party spokesman said they have submitted a written petition to the INEC faulting the process of the election at some units and doubting some figures.

“I cannot sign. We cannot accept the outcome of the election. My principal, Iyiola Omisore, knows the next line of action. We will decide what to do. We have earlier written a petition to INEC to establish our complaints,” he said while briefing the press.

It was gathered that in the said petition, titled Protest on the August 9 gubernatorial election, the PDP alleged Aregbesola had flouted provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 by announcing “his own version” of the results.

The document reads, in part: “I [Iyiola Omisore] hereby condemn the APC candidate, Rauf Aregbesola for declaring his own version of the results without recourse to INEC. With the facts of results, its apparent that the PDP candidate, Dr. Iyiola Omisore is leading.

“This act of APC is in conflict with the provisions of Electoral Law 2010 whereby a candidate can concoct figures and released to confuse the public thus make the election inconclusive until facts behind the figures are released by the INEC.

“The peace and stability of this state is such under an unprecedented threat. The results so far by the APC remained cancelled.”
Meanwhile, the APC have published a list of reasons justifying Aregbesola’s victory: Political machinery/campaign strategy, support from all ex-Osun governors, military presence, several projects, grassroots support, the late Bola Ige, religion, (larger population of Muslims in the state must have added to the victory of Aregbesola), support of the APC governors and chieftains.

-naij

As the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the August 9, 2014 governorship poll in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore submits his petition to challenge the outcome of the exercise, a stalwart of the party in the state, Chief Francis Fadahunsi, on Friday said that the PDP would get favourable justice at the Election Petition Tribunal.

 Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, Chief Fadahunsi observed that rather than resorting to violence, the party believed in exploring the judiciary to seek redress, stressing: “Senator Iyiola Omisore would be declared the winner of the August 9 poll soon”.

Fadahunsi, a member of the party’s Elders’ Forum in the state implored PDP supporters and members to remain calm, by resisting provocation from some desperate politicians, asserting  that  “for INEC to have credited us with almost 300,000 lawful votes, it means we are popular in this state”.

“It also means there is future for PDP in this state, because, if the last election had been free and fair, we would have done better than that. We have our facts about happenings before and on election day. Our legal team has been working on our petition in the last few weeks and the whole world should expect shocking revelations when Tribunal commences proceedings fully,” he remarked.