Engineer Segun Oni, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the just concluded Ekiti governorship election has rejected outcome of the poll.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Biodun Oyebanji emerged the winner with187,057 votes to defeat his main challenger Oni who polled 82, 209.
Oni described the results of the poll declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a charade that does not reflect the popular wishes and aspirations of the people.
The SDP governorship candidate, who spoke through the party’s agent and former Attorney-General, Barrister Owonseni Ajayi, lamented that the poll was riddled with irregularities and voter’s inducement.
He stated the election was nothing but a fraud against Ekiti people, claiming that those who wanted to vote for him across the 2,445 voting centres were harassed and intimidate to clear way for the purported emergence of unpopular candidate.
Oni vowed to challenge the outcome of the election in court, saying the results announced by INEC was unacceptable to him and the leadership of the SDP.
Ajayi, who refused to sign the election final results at the INEC State collation centre, said: “We are rejecting the results because the election was characterised by violence and intimidation of voters and as a result.”
When asked if the outcome of the poll will be challenged in Court, Oni said: “we will definitely challenge the outcome of these results in the court of law for posterity and for generation coming to know that when conducting elections, you must follow the rules and procedures.”
But the second runners up and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the governorship poll Otunba Bisi Kolawole conceded defeat and congratulated Oyebanji on his emergence.
In a congratulatory letter he personally signed and addressed to Oyebanji, the PDP candidate thanked the people of Ekiti for trooping out to exercise their franchise.
The letter reads: “Following the announcement of your victory in the June 18 Ekiti Governorship Election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I hereby write to congratulate you accordingly. “I believe that power belongs to God and He bestows upon whoever he chooses.
“I also believe in popular choice that the unfettered expression of the peoples mandate as one of the crucial hallmarks of democratic principle and practice.
“Democracy must therefore deliver to the people dividends of security or protection and enhance their social welfare and well-being basically, and among other deliverables.
“These were the motivation for my own ambition in the governorship of Ekiti State which I feel strongly to reiterate here in view of the precarious situations of our people at the moment.
“Please take urgent actions aimed at redressing the plights of our people when you fully assume the mantle shortly.
“Finally, I wish you the guidance of the Almighty God in the onerous task ahead.”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
