Drama in Ondo as Accord Party dismisses governorship ‘candidate’ for challenging Mimiko’s victory

The party says Olawale Ojo was not its candidate during the Ondo election.

 

The Ondo State Chapter of the Accord Party has disowned Olawale Ojo, the party’s governorship candidate in the recently held gubernatorial elections in the state.

The party also distanced itself from the petition filed at the elections tribunal by Mr. Ojo, against the re-election of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

It announced the expulsion of its ‘flag bearer’ for antiparty activities and gross misconduct.

Addressing a news conference in Akure, the State Chairman of the party, Ajibola Falaiye, declared that the party did not present a candidate for the October election because it could not meet the requirement of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Mr. Falaiye, flanked by the National Vice Chairman South West, Ojo Kayode; and the Chairman Lagos State Chapter, Mobolaji Olugbodi; stated that the party did not file any petition on the said election and has not authorized anybody to do so on its behalf.

The chairman said Mr. Ojo did not pay the required N1.25m nomination fee to the party adding that the man was not known to the National Secretariat and the Zonal Office of the party.

“The party in the state or at the national level has not engaged any lawyer and is not paying any person or lawyer to file any election petition. Accord Party will not allow any election or political losers from Ibadan or Lagos to use its name to scuttle democracy.

“Accord Party in Ondo State has not called for the cancellation of the Election 20^th October in Ondo State. The party did not submit the required particulars to INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) before the election.

“If the needs be, it is the party under my chairmanship that is supposed to go to court and not Ojo. The man is just embarrassing the party and he has committed anti party activities,” Mr. Falaiye said.

The chairman said by Mr. Ojo’s action, citing Article 14 of the party, he has been engaging in anti party activities.

He announced Mr. Ojo’s expulsion from the party.

The party congratulated Mr. Mimiko on his emergence as winner of the election. It also congratulated the INEC for conducting a free and fair election in the state.