The Social Democratic Party in Ondo state has raised the alarm over an alleged plan to manipulate the next Saturday’s House of Assembly election in Ilaje Constituency 1 by moving the collation centre from the traditional venue to the premises of a known interested party.
Chairman of the party in the state, Stephen Adewale, said this in a statement issued in Akure, the Ondo state capital.
Adewale, also alleged the inflow of Militants and cult members in the constituency within the last three days.
He said that the report reaching the party indicated that ” INEC officials in Ilaje Local Government have been having a series of meetings with a traditional institution and leaders of the party in power.
“Our democracy is at an hazardous juncture and we hereby call on the INEC’s acting resident electoral commissioner in Ondo State to rein in the excesses of his electoral officers in Ilaje local government.
“After INEC’s remorseful posture on how the Presidential and National Assembly elections were conducted on February 25, one would have anticipated INEC workers at every level to behave differently in the House of Assembly election that is fast approaching.
“Yet, the electoral umpire’s continuous temerity and contemptuous arrogance in conducting its business, particularly in the Ilaje local government, leaves much to be desired.
“The personnel of INEC operating in a manner that suggests they want to carry out the wishes of the ruling party in Ilaje Local Government is odd, unacceptable, and stinks of fraud.
“The Social Democratic Party finds it curious that the location that was used for the collation of the Presidential/National Assembly elections can be changed to suit the whims and caprices of a candidate from the ruling party in the State.
“This, to us, smacks of a serious fraud intended to thwart the wishes of the Ilaje Constituency 1 electorates who have already decided that things can no longer continue to go wrong in Ilaje.
“The good people of Ilaje are now ready to use the Saturday election to make a statement.
“We boldly state that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo State would be held accountable if the illogical hatchet plan in Ilaje Constituency 1 is allowed to succeed.
” Ondo State SDP finds what is developing in Ilaje Local Government Constituency 1 appalling as it is a recipe to manipulate the process and truncate the electoral wishes of Ilaje electorates.
“We also find unbecoming, the reported interference of the Ondo State government in the Saturday’s election in Ilaje.
“We call on all relevant bodies to do the needful and prevent the Governor of Ondo State from meddling in the Ilaje Local Government’s electoral process.
“We wish to state categorically that the Social Democratic Party will not accept any House of Assembly election result that is not in tandem with the results issued and signed by our agents at the polling units.
“Ultimately, we have noticed, with dismay, the recent inflow of shady and questionable characters into the Ilaje neighbourhood.
“The entire Ilaje constituency 1 has witnessed unprecedented inflow of Militants and Cult members in the last 3 days.
“We specifically request that the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, The Department of State Security Service and other Security Agencies to warn their men against working with some non-state actors and political figures to tamper with the House of Assembly election processes and results in Ilaje Constituency 1 on March 11.
Adewale “urge the security agencies to uphold their professional obligations.
He therefore called ” the attention of local and international observers and other relevant stakeholders to this unfortunate and orchestrated anomaly that is developing in Ilaje Local Government in particular and in Ondo State in general.
SOURCE: VANGUARD
