The Action Congress of Nigeria has vowed to head to the tribunal to challenge what it described as the ‘Pyrrhic victory’ of the Peoples Democratic Party in Thursday’s by-election in Ikorodu State Constituency II in Lagos State.
The ACN accused the PDP of rigging the election with the apparent backing of the Presidency
The PDP candidate, Mr. Olugbenga Oshin, won the by-election by securing 3, 438 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr. Alade Olusola of the ACN, who scored 3, 022 votes.
The position became vacant following the death of Mr. Rotimi Sotomiwa of the ACN. The legislator died on November 2, 2010 as a result of a lung-related ailment.
The result, however, elicited reactions as the Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the PDP, Mr. Setonji Koshedo, said it showed that his party was set to control the state in 2011.
But the ACN in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the development had sent a wrong signal as to whether the 2011 general elections would be free and fair, despite repeated assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan.
It accused the PDP of using intimidation and violence to ensure that the by-election was not free and fair.
“Violence was reported in Ijede, Ginti, Igbogbo and Ewuelepe. There was no voter register in Surulere Estate and Offin in Igbogbo, known strongholds of ACN. Shooting and snatching of ballot boxes were reported at Ginti and Ewuelepe.
“There was over-militarisation of the constituency with the invasion of mobile policemen, Immigration and Custom officers.
“There was also the massive influx of unregistered voters from neighbouring Ogun State, with the connivance of heavily-compromised INEC officials. Overall, there was a massive disenfranchisement of registered voters in all strongholds of the ACN during the by-election,” the party said.
However, Koshedo, who spoke at a press conference in Lagos on Friday, said the outcome of the by-election was an indication that the PDP could win free and fair elections in Lagos State.
Koshedo said his party’s victory in Ikorodu known to be an ACN stronghold was a ‘sign of better things to come’ for the party.
He said, “The result of the election has shown that in a free and fair election, PDP will always win. The point is that ACN has never won the state honestly.
“We have always believed in the PDP that past elections have been fraudulent. In most of the elections we have had since the beginning of democracy in Nigeria about 12 years, if Lagos State had been having free and fair elections, PDP would have been on top.
“But the result of this election has shown that if free and fair elections are held in Lagos State, PDP will always be on top; which means that the ruling party in Lagos has not always been winning elections naturally.”
Consequently, he called on all members of the party to unite together to ensure that the party consolidates on its recent electoral victories in Ibeju Lekki federal constituency and Ikorodu state constituency.
Source:http://www.punchng.com
No comments:
Post a Comment