Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Oyo State Governor and governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party, has alleged that some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission were conniving with ruling party to rig the 2019 elections.
Alao-Akala made the allegation in Ibadan on Tuesday while being presented alongside Prof. Abideen Olaiya as ADP governorship candidate and deputy governorship candidate respectively in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Alao-Akala was governor of Oyo State from 2007 to 2011 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He alleged that the ruling APC and INEC were conniving to disenfranchise thousands of voters across the state.
He said: “May I inform stakeholders in the Nigerian electoral system and the world at large that information reaching us from competent sources reveals INEC and APC are conniving to disenfranchise thousands of voters.
“This action is aimed at weakening the leading opposition candidates in their strongholds by engaging in state wide illegal relocation of voters from their units/local government of origin to another.”
The ADP governorship candidate called on INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, and security agencies to put a stop to this advanced rigging method.
He said: “Let me also tell the people that I am healthy and mentally fit for the rigorous tasks of governance.
“Holding a public office is not a function of age, but mental capacity, experience, maturity, sensitiveness, responsiveness, credibility, popular acceptability, good vision and mission.”
The former governor declared that he was in the governorship race to reposition the state for the betterment of the people, saying 90 per cent of the outgoing government’s policies, programmes and projects were anti-people.
Alao-Akala promised that if elected to govern the state once more, he would hit the ground after inauguration on May 29, 2019.
He pledged to declare state of emergency in the education and health sectors as well as implement policies that would transform the state.
He said: “My administration will also improve the welfare of the residents and create conducive environment for business growth.
“We will also improve the security network of the state.”
Alao-Akala said his running mate is a devout Muslim from birth, adding that he was not an emergency Muslim who adopted name to falsify religious leaning and appeal for pity.