- Adeleke alleges intimidation, threat to life
After more than 72 hours of persuasion by both the leadership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has said that what is paramount to him is the practice of true democracy in the State.
Omisore stated that he will never renege on his promise of good governance, accountability and human dignity in Osun state.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Omisore said: “Osun State has always been a stellar example of democracy where the people have consistently and freely expressed their franchise to determine who governs them.
“This should remain so. Osun people have shown that it is not business as usual. It is a positive deviation from what was hitherto the norm.
“I am telling my people that they should go with any political party that believes in what we in the SDP stand for – good governance, social justice and accountability. I have already detailed how we planned to restore Osun to the path of good governance through the five thematic pillars in the manifesto I shared during the electioneering. I will not negotiate for personal gains and abandon my people.
“My alliance is with the people of Osun State irrespective of the political party they belong. I want my people to be treated with the dignity they deserve. I desire that they have a government that will be accountable to them. I want them to experience the good governance the founding fathers of this state envisaged. I have told the parties that have solicited for my support to approach the electorates and ask for their mandate as I have assured them that I will not coerce them for political or social power. It is because I have kept my promise that has made me enjoyed their unalloyed support all these years.
“As highlighted in SDP manifestos, the five thematic pillars the SDP had hoped to implement to improve governance, eliminate financial reckless and reposition the economy of Osun State include: Economic management and accountability; Professionalism and performance; Equity in access to service; Local content and innovation and Security.”
To this end, he has said to all Nigerians that this is the centre point of his campaign and “democracy we both fought for and believe in. It is the right and democratic freedom of people to choose by their own free will. Their votes should not be coerced by money, vote buying, intimidation in form of militarisation, political and social power.
“Their voices of demand for good governance, accountability and human dignity should continue to be heard as well as salaries paid. All these are what I stand for and which the SDP had promised the people all through our electioneering campaigns. They are still paramount to me as we collectively chart the way forward for the governorship elections rerun in Osun State.”
Senator Omisore assured his followers and admirers that he will not abandon his campaign promises even as he engaged all stakeholders on the way forward to ensure the progress of Osun State is achieved.
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, has written to diplomatic missions in Nigeria, alleging threat to his life and rabid clampdown on his supporters ahead of Thursday supplementary polls.
In the letter, Adeleke catalogued the many infractions in the last Saturday polls, the failure by INEC to declare him the winner in line with the constitution, the killing and maiming of his supporters, the arrest of key leaders on trumped up charges and the manipulations of the electoral process.
“I am constrained to write this letter to intimate you, our diplomatic partners and friends of despotic happenings in Osun governorship polls which I won but for which I was not declared the winner. My life is under threat and leaders of my party are under siege before and after Saturday main polls.
“During the campaigns, we were subjected to countless attacks. I escaped about four assassination attempts. Our campaign vehicles were severallly attacked and our rallies disrupted. We went through the pre-election process under constant onslaught from political thugs and merchants of violence.
“Despite the violence prone climate, I still won the election. On live television ,our votes were removed and protestations for re-addition of the votes were rejected. Votes for the ruling party were jerked up and again the electoral umpire refused to correct the arithmetical errors. After all the manipulations which saw about 4000 votes removed from my total votes, I still won by close to 400 votes.
“In a brazen assault on democracy ,the returning officer in open breach of the constitution refused to declare me the winner even after fulfilling constitutional stipulations. The officer erroneously justified declaration of the election as inconclusive based on violence in seven out of about 3000 voting units across the state. It was a travesty of justice that is under challenge in court of law.
“Not satisfied with that rape of democracy, the ruling, APC immediately launched a coordinated manipulation agenda to rig the Thursday supplementary polls. Voters register of affected areas are been doctored; unclaimed voters cards are been shared out;massive vote buying are ongoing ;and my supporters are been hounded. Democracy is clearly under threats.
“The agenda of the ruling party is to ensure that votes do not count.The target is to thwart the will of the people. The APC is out to subvert the will of the people ,an action that will have deeply negative impact on the sanctity of the electoral process ahead of 2019 polls,” Adeleke said in the letter.
He then called on the international community “to prevail on President Muhammad Buhari to allow votes to count by restoring my mandate,” adding “We count on you to mount pressure on the ruling party to restore people’s mandate in Osun State.
“We make this request because Osun state is the cradle of Yoruba people. Denying them their inalienable right to pick their governor is a potent threat to democratic sustainability in Nigeria. Our nascent democracy has been under intense pressure and it is not in our collective interest to deepen the national stress index.
“We seek your intervention to prevent another rigging underway in Osun State. I am the holder of the sacred mandate of Osun people. We need the international community to assist Nigeria to make votes count,” he said.
The letter was sent to European Union, United States and several diplomatic missions in Nigeria and the United Nations
