The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections in Ogun State. inconclusive.
The party cited the alleged disenfranchisement of a large number of voters in some local government areas of the state in its petition submitted to the electoral body.
The PDP’s state collation officer, Sunkanmi Oyejide, said in the petition that the party’s records showed that the number of cancelled votes during the election was higher than the margin with which the All Progressives Congress (APC) led at the poll.
INEC has since declared the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the governorship election in the state.
In the petition submitted to INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Niyi Ijalaye, the PDP said there should be a rerun after declaring the elections in the parts of the state where there was large-scale disenfranchisement inconclusive.
The party said its call was based on the provision of the Electoral Act on the disenfranchisement of voters.
“We write to remind your authority of the above-mentioned issue.
“You will recall that the commission is aware of the level of thuggery planned and orchestrated by the All Progressive Congress to unleash mayhem in some polling units across the state to destabilise innocent voters from freely exercising their voting rights as a result of planned and well-executed action.
“We are aware that the principle of margin of lead as established by the Commission in Section 24(3) is in effect, affected by the inability of the population greater than the reflected lead between the assumed winner of the election and the runner-up.
“Therefore, a re-run is appropriate to address this injustice,” the petition read in part.
The party urged the INEC to invoke the provision of the Electoral Act to declare the election inconclusive.
When contacted by our reporter for his comment, APC’s collation officer, Yemi Adelani, refused to speak on the matter.
“I can’t react to the petition, I am not a lawyer please,” he said in a phone conversation with our reporter.
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