APC Sweeps Ekiti Council Polls as PDP rejects result

Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) has declared the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of the Saturday’s Local Government Council election in the state.

The chairman of the Commission, Justice Jide Aladejana who made this known while announcing the results of the council polls on Sunday, said that four political parties fielded candidates for the council election including the APC and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Declaring the results on Sunday as presented by the Returning Officers, the SIEC boss said , the APC candidate in Ado Local Government , Mrs Motunde Fajuyi polled a total of 27,578 votes to defeat other 4 candidates in the election, while in Ido/Osi , Mr Adeola Adedimeji Lawrence of APC polled 15,879 to emerge victorious .

The winners also include Ekiti East Ogunjobi Esan polled 11, 946, Efon; Mr Adetunji Bode Stephen scored 9, 356 ,Ekiti Southwest, Hon Amire Kola Kolade had i 13,97, Ilejemeje: Akinola Oladunjoye scored 5, 477 votes while in Moba, Mr. Aborisade Michael got 13,028.

Ijero: Hon Ropo Ige (16,744 ) , Ikere: Mr. Oluwafemi Ayodele (13, 244), Gbonyin: Hon Ayodele Fadumiye (13,320), Emure : Hon Paul Awopetu (11, 392), Ise/Orun: Mr. Mr Alabi Olanrewaju (12, 400 ), Ekiti West : Kareem Agunbiade (21, 874) , Ikole : Mr. Sola Olominu polled (21,228), Oye: Mr. Foluso James Ojo (20,352) and in Irepodun/Ifelodun, Mr Shina Ogunleye won with 22,896.

The PDP candidate only had a good showing in Ekiti East local government, where the candidate got 4,033 votes to emerge the runner up.

Read Also: PDP senators reject Bayelsa, Kogi election results

Meanwhile, the State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Barr. Gboyega Oguntuase has rejected the results of the election, calling for outright cancellation.

Oguntuase who made this known while addressing journalist in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, said the election was a ‘mere jamboree’ as it fails to meet the minimum standard, describing it as the worst ever in the political history of the state.

He added the election was a ‘political coup d’etat’, stressing that the results were allegedly written by the state government for the State Independent Electoral Commission officials to present and read.

According to him, the exercise was another world war as it was marred with violence, killing and ballot snatching , adding that the results for Ilejemeje, Ise/Orun, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti East were written without any conduct of election.

“The Ekiti PDP outrightly reject the results of the Saturday’s council in totality. What we had was a mere tragedy and comedy. It was comedy in the sense that it was a drama of people who wanted to imitate or let the activities have semblance of democracy while truly the essence of democracy was bastardised.

“In all the 16 local government and 177 wards there was truly no election. For proper election to hold, there are certain materials that are important. But I want to tell you categorically that in Ilejemeje, Ido-Osi, Ise/Orun, Ikere, Ikole and other councils ballot papers and boxes were not supplied.

“We were surprised that in area where there was no election results were announced. What happened in Kogi state was exactly what Governor Kayode Fayemi and his men did in Ekiti”.

Oguntuase, however, declared seven day of mourning period for the killing of Dotun Kosedake and four others who casualties currently receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital.

He directed its members to shun any activities that will depict the party was in sober time in honour of the victims taking effect from Monday, December 9.

However, Aladejana, has denied the widespread allegation that there was sporadic shooting which led to the death of Dotun Kosedake at Okitiko unit , Araromi ward in Ikere during the election.

Aladejana said preliminary investigation had revealed that no one was shot at the polling unit and that the violence that erupted in the area, which he ascribed to cult clash was not within the precinct of the polling unit.

He said: “Nobody was killed at ward 7 unit 006 in Ikere on Saturday . Nobody was shot. Though, we heard that someone came violently and made away with unused ballot papers . Even in the whole unit, there were just 280 registered voters and this does not in any way vitiate the outcome”.

According to him, the commission provided a level playing ground for all the political parties and their candidates in the election.

He, however, commended the security architecture in the state for ensuring that no one was intimidated during the poll, describing the election as peaceful and credible.