The main opposition party in Oyo state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the main has pointed accusive fingers on the People’s Democratic Party in the state over a purported plot to relocate polling units prior to the governorship election of 2023 in order to Garner undemocratic votes.
According to a statement made by the APC’s press secretary, Olawale Sadare, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP allegedly plotted to relocate several polling locations to upset voters on election day.
The Oyo APC also requested that INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and all electoral stakeholders shine the Commission’s searchlight on the actions of INEC staff members, particularly those in the Oyo State office, to ensure that some bad apples do not tarnish the commission’s well-deserved reputation or call into question its concerted efforts to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.
Akeem Olatunji, the Oyo PDP’s publicity secretary, countered the accusation by calling it a fabrication of APC stakeholders.
“Makinde defeated them when they were one and now that they are scattered and with a very weak candidate, the incumbent has nothing to worry about,” he said, referring to the main opposition party.
Meanwhile, Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, the INEC chairman’s spokesman, encouraged the people making the allegations to give the Commission the right kind of information so that it can conduct the necessary investigation.
For the first time in 25 years, the Commission increased the number of polling units in Nigeria from 119,974 to 176,846 with the cooperation of all stakeholders, according to Oyekanmi’s response yesterday.
“The Commission also removed polling units from inappropriate places like homes of individuals, worship centres and shrines. It was a painstaking exercise that was preceded by months of preparations.
“Therefore, relocating a polling unit is a very serious matter for INEC and cannot be done by fiat.”
“Besides, the commission does not relocate polling units under the influence of a state governor or politicians.
“The commission’s officials cannot engage in what is clearly a breach of the commission’s code of conduct to relocate any polling unit under the influence of a state governor. No. That is not possible.
“However, I would advise those making this allegation to provide the commission with detailed information about the specific names and location of all the polling units allegedly relocated to enable us to investigate it.”
Oyo APC Accuses PDP, INEC of Planning to Relocate Polling Units
Leave a comment
Leave a comment