The African Action Congress (AAC) has rejected the outcome of the Ekiti State governorship election, which was won by Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party alleged widespread vote-buying, voter intimidation and other irregularities, saying these acts undermined the credibility of the exercise.
Chairman of the AAC in Ekiti State, Mr. Makinde Folorunso, announced the party’s position in a statement issued shortly after the election, insisting that the process failed to meet democratic standards and would be challenged.
Folorunso alleged that the election was marred by widespread electoral malpractice, describing the exercise as a “mere facade of democracy.”
“As the chairman of the Africa Action Congress in Ekiti State, I am compelled to address the events surrounding Saturday’s election. It is with a heavy heart that I announce our decision to contest the legitimacy of this election due to widespread malpractices that have rendered it a mere facade of democracy,” he said.
The AAC chairman accused the government and the ruling APC of compromising the electoral process, alleging that the process was manipulated to favour the incumbent governor.
He claimed reports from across the state indicated that vote-buying occurred in several polling units, alleging that voters were offered money in exchange for their support.
“Reports of vote-buying have emerged from every polling unit across Ekiti State, with citizens being offered money in exchange for their votes. This is not just an affront to the democratic process; it is an insult to the intelligence of the electorate,” Folorunso stated.
The opposition party also alleged that its members and supporters were subjected to harassment and intimidation during the election, creating what it described as an uneven playing field for political contestants.
According to Folorunso, the alleged actions of the ruling party discouraged genuine political participation and undermined the principles of fairness and equity expected in a democratic election.
“The actions taken by the ruling party have created an uneven playing field, where genuine competition is stifled. We witnessed intimidation and harassment directed toward our party members, discouraging them from exercising their democratic rights,” he said.
The AAC chairman further stated that the party’s participation in the peace accord signed ahead of the election was based on its commitment to electoral integrity, adding that accepting the outcome of the poll despite the alleged irregularities would amount to abandoning that commitment.
He maintained that the party remained committed to democratic values and would continue to advocate what he described as “revolutionary change” for Nigerians.
Folorunso subsequently announced the party’s rejection of the election results and called for a thorough investigation into the alleged infractions.
“In light of these concerns, we unequivocally reject the results of this election. We demand an immediate investigation into the reported irregularities and call upon the relevant authorities to ensure accountability for these injustices,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant in defending democratic principles and electoral integrity.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji the winner of the Ekiti State governorship election after he secured 319,224 votes.
According to the results announced by the Chief Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Wole Oluyede, polled 40,543 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, secured 12,872 votes.
‘Prof. Oladiji subsequently declared Oyebanji duly elected, having satisfied the constitutional requirements and scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.