Opposition parties, PDP disagree over REC

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

Opposition parties under the aegis of Alliance of Collaborating Political Parties in Osun State have said that the Peoples Democratic Party in the state is calling for the removal of Ambassador Rufus Akeju as the Resident Electoral Commissioner because of his refusal to be manipulated in their favour.

 The ACPP in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Friday  said the persistent call for the REC’s removal on allegation of bias was a smokescreen.

The statement was signed by chairpersons of the parties which make up the ACPP. The parties are: National Conscience Party, United Progressive Party, Progressive Peoples Alliance, African Democratic Congress, United Democratic Party, Africa Peoples’ Alliance, Citizens Popular Party,  Mega Progressive People Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party and Peoples for Democratic Change.

The group stated that Akeju was in charge as the REC during the 2011 legislative elections, saying none of those who lost went to the tribunal because they knew that the elections were transparent.

 He described the call for removal of Akeju by the PDP as an attempt to scandalise the electoral body.

It will be recalled that the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state had also earlier accused the PDP of seeking Akeju’s removal because of its shady agenda ahead of governorship election in the state, slated for August 9, 2014.

In an interview with our correspondent in Osogbo, on Thursday, Osun APC’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said his party was not bothered by whoever was put in charge of the elections. He said his party was confident of victory.

He said, “The PDP is scared of the qualities of the man (Akeju), who perhaps they believe will not accede to their desperate rigging plans.”

The Chairman of the PDP and a governorship aspirant of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, have been clamouring for the removal of Akeju as Osun REC. Some polititical parties also walked out on INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, during a stakeholders meeting in Osogbo on the issue of the REC.

 A group, Osun Liberation Movement on Tuesday staged a protest at the INEC office, Osogbo calling for Akeju’s removal.

 But the ACPP said that the PDP was making efforts to ensure removal of the REC because he (Akeju) had refused to be manipulated by them.

 They said that the PDP knew it could not win and had now resorted into blackmail and spurious allegations against the umpire saying they were preparing an excuse for their imminent failure at the August 9 governorship poll.

The statement read, “We wish to categorically state that these hirelings of the PDP do not represent the oppositions in the state and thus it is not correct as was reported that Osun Opposition rejects the REC.