Ekiti poll: Olusola asks tribunal to declare him winner

Kamarudeen Ogundele, Ado Ekiti The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State, Prof. Kola...

Kamarudeen Ogundele, Ado Ekiti

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, has filed a petition against the electoral victory of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has since declared Fayemi as the winner of the election.

In the over 700-page petition filed on Friday, Olusola asked the Ekiti Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to declare him as the winner of the election “having scored the majority of lawful votes”.

The incumbent Deputy Governor of Ekiti arrived at the tribunal at about 6pm in company with his running mate, Deji Ogunsakin; one of his lawyers, Ola Olanipekun (SAN); and the state PDP chairman, Gboyega Oguntuase.

Speaking with journalists, Olusola said he had resolved to reclaim his mandate which was allegedly hijacked by “political desperadoes”.

According to Olanipekun, the election was characterised by falsification of results and snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes.

Olusola said, “Today, I formally filed the much expected petition against the results of the July 14, 2018 governorship election, which was openly manipulated by political desperadoes, using instruments of the Federal Government.

“Like I have maintained, I am challenging the election results, not out of desperation to be governor, but because of the future and posterity, and largely on behalf of the people of Ekiti, who were taken aback by the outcome of the election.

“Without doubt, the will of the people was subverted by those who have chosen to take Nigeria back to the dark days of stuffing and snatching of ballot boxes and outright falsification of election results; I believe they deserve to get justice.

“As law abiding citizens of our country, the only path of honour to take in a situation like this is the process that we have initiated today, to seek redress against the use of security forces and other instruments of the Federal Government to suppress the will of our people.”

Olusola alleged that the APC was desperate to govern in all states in the country, especially Ekiti because of Dr. Ayodele Fayose, whom he said was perceived as uncompromising.

He also alleged that the APC had destroyed all the gains made by the past PDP-led government on free, fair and credible elections.

“The mood of Ekiti people when the beneficiary of the electoral robbery was declared winner and up till today is a pointer to the resolve of the people not to accept the subversion of their will and we have answered their calls to use the judiciary to get back their mandate.”

Source: PunchNg