The Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation has raised an alarm over what it described as a plot by the All Progressives Congress and the federal government to subvert the upcoming governorship election.
A statement by its director of media and publicity, Olawale Rasheed, on Sunday, noted that the plot was to “rig and foist a rejected candidate of the APC on the state”.
“In the last two weeks, brazen subversive decisions and steps have been taken by the APC targeted at undermining the will of the people long before election day,” the statement read.
“In an advanced system of rigging, the ruling party is executing electoral manipulations even before the polling day.”
The statement also listed the ‘plots’:
“1. The open purchase of PVC with payment of ten thousand naira (N10,000) each to unsuspecting voters. The goal is to clown and deploy false data in favour of APC candidate.
2. The diversion of unclaimed PVCs for unsavoury activities by APC cyber team.
3. The appointment of openly known APC sympathisers as returning officers.
4.The peopling of state INEC top team with APC operatives.
5. Plans to disenfranchise zones and areas known to be strongholds of the opposition.
6. Open vote buying like the one led by the Vice President of the Republic under the guise of business support funding.
7. Open inducement of traditional and religious institutions by top leaders of APC.
8. Secret payment of close to N17 billion to the state government from the Paris Fund for election purposes.
9. Diversion of state government funds for election purposes leading to the resignation of the Accountant General and
10. Open deployment of political thugs to haunt members of the opposition among other evil schemes plotted to remain in power at all cost.”
The statement from the campaign outfit of the PDP candidate said the APC was plotting to plunge Osun and the nation into avoidable mayhem.
“We therefore call on men of conscience nationwide and internationally to call the APC government to order. We remind agents of electoral violence and rigging that our history in Osun State does not look kindly on election riggers.
“We also call on the international community to take judicious note of our evidence based alarm, as Osun State is the cradle of Yoruba race of South-western Nigeria, any tampering with Osun polls may have consequences beyond the state.
“The minimum we request is that the will of the electorate be respected and that the electoral umpire and security agencies remain fair and neutral before, during and after the poll.”
Meanwhile, the APC in Osun State has reacted against the allegations. It said the party had no reason to subvert or rig the election.
According to its director of publicity, Kunle Ayatomi, the PDP is only accusing the APC “of the game it plays better”.
“How can they be talking about subverting election when the PDP is known for such a practice,” Mr Ayatomi told PREMIUM TIMES in a phone interview.
“They think the APC will do the same thing that they were doing when they held the nation in (by) the jugular. We are not the same. We are APC, we have all it takes to win the election and run a good government.
“Not too long ago this people begged for pardon from Nigerians over what they were used to doing, which is indiscipline. These are people who have no respect for other people’s choice. The PDP see the election as a ‘do or die’. We don’t see the election like that.
“We have nothing to worry about because we know that majority of Nigerians and the people are with us, and they know we will not do it like the PDP, that are notorious for such.
“We have no reason whatsoever to subvert or make the Osun election a do or die affair. This we know that we will win. When they (PDP) were united, we defeated them, not to talk of now that they are scattered.
“Some are in SDP, and others in several other parties. They are no longer the choice in the state. We will defeat them silly,” the party said.
