A senatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun East Senatorial District of Ogun State, Otunba Oluseyi Oduntan, has rejected the result of Monday’s primary election.
The Congress was held at the Ijebu Ode township stadium.
Oduntan alleged rigging, manipulation and multiple voting.
Oduntan, who rejected the result via a petition sent to both the state and the national secretariat of the party, claimed that the election was characterised by massive rigging, intimidation, coercion and manipulation.
The senatorial hopeful has, however, officially informed the party of his intention to contest the result of the poll, while threatening to dump the APC if justice was not done.
A close ally of Oduntan, who was a member of the House of Representatives, Otunba Tai Bela, confirmed the development.
Bela said Oduntan has already forwarded his petition to the party secretariat.
According to the honourable member: “There was nothing free or fair about the primary election.
“It was such a disgraceful primary in Ogun East Senatorial District.
“How can we have an election under the auspices of the APC conducted in such a shameful manner?
“There was nothing progressive about it.
“Government officials, including Commissioners, Chairmen of Local Government Councils, Party Chairmen, State Party Executives, Government Liaison Officers, etc, intimidated, coerced, herded delegates like sheep and personally wrote ballot papers.
“We challenged them and they said they were acting on ‘instructions and orders from above’.
“It is unfortunate that the government decided to act in this manner.
“There was no primary election, but a thoroughly teleguided arrangement towards a predetermined outcome, because they knew that Seyi Oduntan was going to win landslide.
“I personally saw serving commissioners, Council chairmen, policemen and government officials writing on ballot papers several times.
“When we spoke to them, they said it was ‘order from above’.
“The election was a sham.
“Our people, particularly the Ijebu people, have protested and promised that there would be a backlash at the general election.
“The perfidious action of the government against thousands of faithful party members shall receive its just rewards in the coming election.”
Bela also made reference to the Ogun Central Senatorial District primary held at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, where most delegates went home disappointed.
He said: “Even in Abeokuta, delegates and aspirants waited for about eight hours without election.
“And when they tried to eventually conduct the election, there were gunshots everywhere.
“Ask those who were in Abeokuta on Monday.
“There were several gunshots because they said there is an anointed candidate, imposed on delegates.
“Many people, even security men, ran for their lives when they started shooting.
“There was pandemonium after thugs started shooting to disperse voters.”
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
