The Governor of Ondo state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on Friday, said the people of Ondo state will resist plans by the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to subvert the will of the people in favour of the APC in Saturday’s governorship election.
Mimiko stated this while addressing a world press conference at the International Events Centre – The Dome, in Akure, on Friday.
He noted that INEC is being forced to subvert its processes, and imperil the Ondo election by sending to Ondo, the same team it sent to Edo, which is peopled by rabid supporters of APC who have displayed their brazen disdain for justice and fair play in the Edo election.
Mimiko said “I have to state this here and now, that our people will not accept the method, men and process unleashed on Edo and we have just been told that the same team of election ad hoc staff, which masterminded the largely controversial Edo election have been sent to our State to deliver a preconceived result for Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, the APC candidate.
“The Edo team did not only call off collation by 9pm on election day, party agents, monitors and journalists were ordered out of the collation centres allowing for final subversion of the will of the electorates.
“We reject unequivocally the mission of this team in our State and we shall not allow such an ungodly process to be repeated in our dear State.
“If INEC were to be truly objective, it would have at least erred on the side of caution and safe Ondo from the polluting influence of this ad hoc team.” Mimoko stated
The Governor further stated that other efforts have also been concerted by INEC and forces within the APC to prevent the emergence of a credible and electable candidate for the PDP in Ondo state.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this ungodly process started when INEC, in flagrant disregard of extant laws governing elections, removed the name of Eyitayo Jegede on the basis of a Justice Okon Abang order that has since been declared as a fraud by the Supreme Court. INEC discarded all legal advice not to substitute Eyitayo Jegede by its own chosen consortium of lawyers!
“INEC did not release the list of voters register to the PDP until yesterday (Thursday), in clear infraction of its own laws and against its advertised ‘Time Table and Schedule of Activities” for the Ondo election.
“INEC denied Eyitayo Jegede the right to submit his Party agents’ list at least 7 days before the election as stipulated in Section 45 of the Electoral Act 2010 among many others! As we speak collation tags for Ward Collation officers are not available for PDP Ward agents!”
“More than the above, the agents on INEC list are agents submitted by a man, already aptly described by the courts as an impostor, who has also openly showed he is working as a fifth columnist in the Ondo election. We were expected to run a race with our hands tied behind our back while INEC also goes ahead to foist a “wuruwuru to the answer” result.
“In this instance, injustice stares us in the face and we are about being treated like slaves and a conquered people in our own country.”
The Governor, while calling on the good people of Ondo State to be vigilant and insist on the sanctity of the ballot, charged them not to allow any alteration of result either at the Ward Collation Centre or anywhere along the line.
He urged them to exercise the greatest level of diligence and vigilance as they vote and defend their votes on Saturday.