PDP candidate, Oluyede, rejects Ekiti gov poll result

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The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the June 20 election in Ekiti State, Wole Oluyede, has rejected the result of the poll declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

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This was made known in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Monday by the Director of Media and Communications, Oluyede Campaign Organisation, Sanya Atofarati.

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The Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, who declared the result and returned Ekiti State Governor and All Progressives Congress candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, elected, said Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes, while the PDP candidate, Oluyede, secured 40,543 votes to emerge second. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, polled 12,872 votes.

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Fifteen political parties participated in the election.

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Recall that the ADC candidate, Bejide, had on Monday rejected the result, saying, “My immediate reaction is to reject the result of the election in its entirety because, in my view, the exercise conducted on Saturday was not credible.”

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Atofarati stated that the Oluyede Campaign Organisation “hereby unequivocally rejects the results announced by INEC in respect of the just concluded Ekiti State Governorship Election.”

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He assured PDP members, supporters and the people of Ekiti State that “we remain committed to the pursuit of justice through all lawful and democratic means available to us. 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.”

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Atofarati stated that “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.

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“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.”

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The campaign spokesperson said the organisation was also concerned about “the conduct of some security operatives who, rather than maintaining neutrality and ensuring a level playing field, allegedly acted in ways that compromised public confidence in the electoral process.

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“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.

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“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.

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“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.

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