SDP candidate rejects Agege state Constituency II election outcome, heads to tribunal

Toyin Raheem, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party for Agege Constituency II seat in Lagos State State House of Assembly in the March 9 election, says the outcome of the poll is unacceptable to the party and cannot stand.
Raheem, who disclosed this in a news conference on Wednesday, said that the outcome of the election as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission in favour of APC candidate, Yinka Ogundimu, did not reflect the wish of the electorate.
According to Raheem, the ruling All Progressives Congress, the police and the electoral body have questions to answer at the tribunal.
He said: “The Social Democratic Party, Agege Local Government Chapter, rejects the results of the Lagos State House of Assembly election in Agege Constituency 02 as announced by INEC.”
SDP, according to him, is a party of genuine democrats that believes in the sanctity of elections, respect for the electorate and honour for democratic norms.
He said: “The election is rejected and cannot stand; we do mean it, it cannot stand. It was not a reflection of the votes of the people.”
According to him, the party will take all legal steps to ensure that the election is cancelled and to ensure that he is declared the winner.
Raheem, popularly referred to as People’s Defender, said that elections are not war, but a process to choose representatives of the people without force or any inducement.
He said: “Election and war are not the same. Election should be free and fair. It is meant to produce leaders of people’s choice. We will be at the tribunal to take back my mandate.
“INEC must reverse its decision because we know SDP won the election. We don’t want violence, but we will use all legal means to reclaim our mandate.”
The candidate alleged that there was violation of the Electoral Act during the poll, saying that if the APC candidate had won fair and square, he would have congratulated him.
He said that the party was working on its filing petition at the election tribunal with undeniable evidence and witnesses.