The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State Collation Agent, Olaniyi Ogungbuji, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of deploying over N35 billion to induce voters in the just-concluded Ondo State governorship election.
Ogungbuji made the allegation shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared APC’s candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the winner of the Saturday election.
The announcement was made by the Returning Officer, Prof. Olayemi Akinwunmi, at exactly 2:29 p.m. on Sunday at INEC headquarters in Akure.
Governor Aiyedatiwa secured a landslide victory with 366,781 votes, defeating his closest rival, PDP’s Agboola Ajayi, who polled 117,845 votes. Adeyemi Nejo of the African Democratic Party (ADP) trailed with 4,138 votes.
Speaking to newsmen after the declaration, Ogungbuji alleged, “This is the end result of the election but I can tell you that APC as a party deployed over N35bn into inducing the electorate. And if this is the future of this nation, I think we are doomed for it.”
He also worried that the election didn’t occur at some polling units at Idanre LG but his position was discarded at the collation centre.
Ogungbuji hinted that the party’s candidate, Agboola Ajayi and the party would decide on the next line of action in the coming days.
“I will report back to him (Ajayi) and the party as well, they will take the next appropriate action in the next few days,” he said.
But the APC state agent, Ade Adeogun, dismissed the allegation of vote buying, describing it as flippant excuses.
He further stated, “You need to understand that throughout this electioneering period, we even complained that Ondo State was over policed.
“So, if they had any genuine evidence, which is why I mentioned cogent and verifiable reasons, they would have reported to the security agencies and those persons involved in votes buying or any inducement would have been arrested.
“Without evidence, you can’t just go around and make flippant excuses. They lost an election. They lost woefully and they’re looking for a straw to hold onto.”
He said the opposition party should be allowed to ‘weep’ over the defeat, saying the party has a right to do so.
Adeogun said, “It’s an allegation and when you go to court, he who alleges must prove. For you to prove, you must present cogent and verifiable reasons.
“If you have 10 political parties contesting and only one is complaining, you would understand that it’s a pain of loss that they’re still experiencing and we must give them that right to weep.
“If a child has failed an examination, he is allowed to weep. Let’s give them time to absorb the defeat and then probably accept the fact that they lost because they didn’t deserve to win.”