Ekiti Elections: Go To The Election Tribunal- INEC To Olusola And PDP

Fayemi Casting Vote At Saturday Ekiti Elections (Photo File)

INEC Insists Ekiti Governorship Was Free And Fair, Asks Olusola To Go To The Election Tribunal

The Saturday- Ekiti Gubernatorial Elections that produced Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as winner has continued to generate questions in the mind of the opposition.

Following the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka’s threat that he would challenge the result in court,  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the supervisor of the poll, has told Olusola to head for the election tribunal.

INEC insisted that the result of the election was a reflection of the will of the people.

The agency’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Wole Osaze-Uzzi, said, “INEC welcomes the decision of Prof. Eleka to go to the tribunal on the outcome of the governorship election. That is the proper thing to do.

“Legal process is a better resort than making inciting statements and engaging in media trial. We welcome judicial intervention on disputes arising from the election. Just like in the case of Edo State, it is left to Eleka to prove his case before the tribunal.”

Osaze-Uzzi rated the outcome of the election as “good and a fair reflection of the will of the people of Ekiti State”. “Even international and local observers rated the conduct of the poll as good,”

“We have been receiving preliminary reports from the accredited Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Most of those in the so-called Coalition of Civil Society Groups were not accredited for the poll by INEC, he added.

“The materials and logistics were on spot and accreditation of voters started as and when due in more than 92 per cent of the polling units.”

Osaze-Uzzi said, “INEC is yet to have a post-mortem session on the poll but we have received oral briefing from some of our National Commissioners and others on ground.

He however assured, “Certainly, we will hold a post-mortem meeting when all officials are fully back.”

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole said the ruling party was celebrating the outcome of the election because “under President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, we now can see that election can be conducted without people being hospitalised or some finding their way to the grave because they have been killed in the process.”

Naija News also recalls that Governor Ayodele Fayose had yesterday alleged that the federal government used security agencies to rig the Saturday governorship poll in Ekiti, adding that there was no jubilation in Ekiti.