. Provide evidence, INEC replies
A governorship aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the August 9 governorship election in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, yesterday insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Rufus Akeju, is a card-carrying member of All Progressives Congress, APC.
Omisore who flagged off his campaigns for the governorship poll at Freedom Park, Osogbo, the state capital, said he could not vouch for the fairness of the INEC boss as he alleged that his loyalty is already to the APC.
The aspirant, a former deputy governor of the state and until recently a senator representing Osun East, spoke to a tumultuous crowd of supporters in Yoruba, stressing that with Akeju as head of the INEC in the state, there is no way the PDP can get fair treatment.
He then implored Nigerians to prevail on the INEC boss, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to immediately remove Akeju, “if the state is to witness peace and harmony during the coming election.”
But in a swift reaction, the INEC yesterday challenged Omisore to prove that Akeju is an APC member. Reacting, Chief Press Secretary to Prof. Jega, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said Omisore “has always been saying that; but he has not for once provided evidence to back up his allegation.
“I think that allegation often made without being substanciated is unfair to people who work hard to contribute their quota to national development,” Idowu countered.
Yesterday however, Omisore formally declared his intention to govern the state, with words of assurance to the people of Osun that he was prepared to rescue them from “the autocratic rule of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.”
He said he was fully ready to dismantle Aregbesola’s political structure in the state to pave way for PDP to rule the state, stating, “I am on rescue mission to restore Osun back to its lost glory.”
While highlighting his eight-point agenda, he decried the ‘pauperisation’ of the people of Osun State through inhuman taxes, demolition of markets without alternatives, destruction of the state education heritage and creation of religious crisis in an otherwise harmonious state.
The former Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation assured of restoring the dignity of education, focus on agriculture and rural development, among others, saying, “ I am here offering myself for service. I am here to right the wrongs and set our state on sustainable paths”.
According to him, come August 9, the PDP will surely come back to harness the technological growth of the state and develop viable human capital so as to dislodge the APC administration from the state.
He said since he had served the state as Senator from Osun East for two consecutive terms, he he had also gained widespread political recognition to win the state back for the PDP.
He alleged that Governor Aregbesola had caused disintegration among the people of the state particularly between the Christians and Muslim, noting that in his own time, religion will be given utmost respect such that there will be harmony among the people.
He disclosed that the PDP administration under him would revisit all Aregbesola’s policies, saying that the state had been subjected to a huge debt as a result of over N413billion “being stolen from government purse and over N8.5billion lost on Opon-Imo (an education programme of the governor).”
Dignitaries present at the ceremony include former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin; Chief Abiola Ogundokun; Senator Olu Alabi; Chief Shuaib Oyedokun; Alhaja Abosede Adedibu; Senator Hosea Agboola and Chief Dosu Ladapo.
Others are Chairman, PDP Mobilisation for South-West, Prince Buruji Kasamu; former Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose; Prof. Dupe Olatubosun; Senator Folasade Bent ; Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipupo and a host of other party bigwigs.
Source: National Mirror
