First civilaian governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke has restated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) victory in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti can never be repeated in Osun State. He admitted; “we were caught unawares.”
In an interview with Daily Sun at his Ede countryhome, Adeleke blamed the Indepen­dent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the outcome of the election, wondering why the INEC boss, Professor Attahiru Jega had not come out to explain to the public why he did not keep to his word concerning the modality of the election.
His words: “No, it (Ekiti PDP victory) can­not happen here. We were caught unawares. Now, I will blame INEC too for that. Yes, because prior to the election, Professor Jega came on television that there was going to be coloured, coded ballot papers for each of the Local Governments. But on the election day, reverse was the case. The ballot papers used were not coloured coded. They were all the same. Up till now, he has not come out to tell us why. If he has conscience as a Muslim, and in the spirit of this holy month of Ramadan, he must come out to tell us exactly what hap­pened in Ekiti State.”
Speaking further, the concerned Senator and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) assured that, “every step is being taken to prevent what happened in Ekiti State.,” pointing out that,”even the United Nation (UN) has come out to say that the processes towards the Ekiti election were flawed.”
He reminded that, “they (security agencies) allowed some Ministers into Ekiti while they debarred governors that were not of the PDP from entering Ekiti, which is wrong,” adding that, “the militarization of Ekiti with 36, 000 strong team of Police and Soldiers, for God’s sake, was clear intimidation,” disclosing that, “then, very early in the morning of the elec­tion, many people were disenfranchised as they were picked up, arrested.”
He regretted that, “everybody that was ar­rested was of the APC while none was picked up from the PDP,” complaining that, “now, after the election, they were released with no charges and we must resist that.”
According to him,the PDP governorship candidate for the election, Senator Iyiola Omisore cannot win election except in Ife east and central, probably, in a free and fair contest, declaring that “people are aware of this in Ede,” adding, “I cannot see how pick­ing a deputy governorship candidate from my constituency can affect the outcome of that election.”
Hear him further, Adeleke asserted that, “ever since I crossed over from the PPD to APC, what I have seen and what I have heard from my Federal Constituency, I am convinced more than ever before that if this election comes tomorrow, and it is free, fair and credible, APC will win about 80 percent of the total votes.
“Now, again, all the elections held in Ede are largely dependent on Asiwaju Isiaka Adeleke, that is me. The deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, Hon Adejare Bello, has never won any election with his name.”