Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, on Wednesday, has again alleged that the Southwest Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which held in Osogbo, Osun State was marred by irregularities.
According to the former governor, the election was a “scam.”
The New Diplomat had reported that the former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr Taofeek Arapaja, who was supported by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, won the Congress election, defeating his rival, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, who was backed by Fayose.
Arapaja polled 343 votes to defeat Olafeso, who scored 330.
Fayose had also taken to his Twitter handle to allege that Arapaja won the election due to over voting, however, he noted that he won’t challenge the result as the interest of the party is greater than any ambition.
While reacting to the election outcome on Wednesday, Fayose, again alleged that the election was rigged in favour of Makinde’s candidate.
The former Governor stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, on Wednesday.
However, he noted that he had conceded and accepted the fate, in the interest of the PDP.
According to him, the quest for PDP to take over power from the ruling All Progressives Congress in the Southwest and Nigeria at large is paramount to him.
Oyo State is the only PDP state in Southwest, the other five states are controlled by the APC.
Speaking further, Fayose alleged that he knew that the election would be rigged in favour of Makinde, adding that was the reason he insisted that the venue of the Congress must be change from Ibadan, Oyo State.
Recall that the PDP changed the venue of the Southwest Congress to Osun State from Oyo State, which had initially been scheduled to host the congress.
Fayose also noted that although he wanted Ogun State, however, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) changed the venue to Osogbo.
He alleged that the violence came from Oyo to Osun with 200 buses bearing the number plates of Oyo, adding that they blocked the venue of the exercise.
The New Diplomat had also reported that suspected hoodlums stormed the WODCIF center, where the congress held. The suspected hoodlums tried to forcefully gain entrance into the venue, however the security agencies repelled the invasion by shooting sporadically.
According to Fayose, the suspected hoodlums “came with Cutlass and guns all night. It was in the public knowledge.”
He also alleged that the former Senator Samuel Anyanwi of Imo State inflated the number of accredited voters in Oyo State.
According to him, “In Oyo, they told us 177 were listed. Hon Mulikat protested and said, ‘this man is dead, this man is dead, this man is dead, this man is sick, this one is abroad, this one is aged’. They came back and told us 165. This is the game going on in the entire process. It was the secretary that came to rig election, Senator Sam Anyanwu from Imo State.”
The former governor, however, assured that he will remain a loyalist of the PDP, adding that he is committed to reposition the party in Southwest.
He added, “I have conceded, I conceded not because they won. I conceded because the PDP is a bigger picture. I want to say that conceding does not amount to defeat, it is sheer exhibiting leadership.
“Take a look at the result and the characters behind the result before I will tell you the issue. I am on one side alone; I have on the side of Governor Makinde, two former governors – Segun Oni and Olagunsoye Oyinlola. They have on their side seven deputy governors and two speakers and serving senators.
“The results in quotes, Arapaja scored 343. My candidate Eddy Olafeso scored 330, a difference of 13 votes. I’m glad because that is a show of strength. Whether the result is right or wrong, the world can see in the one-man army that has faced them all and without rigging, they lost.”
“They came with cutlasses and guns all night, it was in the public knowledge.”
“For me, as to that election, it was a scam but I must agree as a leader of the PDP. I have been working for this party. I am one of the voices that cannot be forgotten in the PDP.
“And I will not sit down here and say because of 13 votes, because of manipulation the party must not move forward,” he added.
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