Osun Governorship: Accord Alleges APC’s Closed-Door Meeting Was Plot To Rig Saturday’s Poll

The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has raised concerns over alleged plans to manipulate Saturday’s governorship election, following a close-door meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday evening in Osogbo, the Osun State Capital.

In a statement issued in Osogbo by the Chairman of the Accord Party in Osun State, Pastor Victor Akande, the party said it received reports of the closed-door meeting involving Hon. James Faleke and selected leaders of the APC.

According to the statement, the meeting allegedly focused on strategies that could affect the electoral prospects of the Accord Party in various parts of the state.

The party alleged that Faleke, a federal lawmaker, discussed measures that could restrict voter participation and influence the outcome of the election in some areas.

The statement said: “Credible eyewitness accounts quoted Faleke as presenting an analysis of alleged plans in various towns, including measures that could affect voting in the Ijesa zone and the possible arrest of Accord leaders.”

On Ile-Ife, the party alleged that the lawmaker discussed the possibility of limited violence intended to discourage voter turnout, alongside alleged attempts to influence the electoral process in favour of the APC.

The statement further alleged that, in the presence of Hon. Wole Oke, discussions also centred on Ikire and Osogbo, with the APC reportedly seeking to improve its electoral performance in those areas.

The Accord Party also alleged that plans were discussed to reduce voter participation in the Ede zone, adding that such measures, if implemented, could affect the overall outcome of the election.

Reacting to the allegations, the Osun State chapter of the Accord Party described the reported comments as concerning and urged all political actors to respect democratic principles and the constitutional rights of voters.

The party said:

“If truly Hon. Faleke made the statements attributed to him concerning the democratic rights of the people of Osun, then the matter deserves serious scrutiny. Political actors should promote confidence in the electoral process rather than actions that could undermine it.”

The Accord Party also urged Faleke and other political stakeholders to support efforts to promote unity and peaceful participation in the election.

The party said it expected federal officials involved in political activities to respect the principle of non-partisanship by public institutions and allow the people of Osun State to freely choose their leaders.

While stressing the importance of peaceful elections, the Accord Party urged all stakeholders to avoid actions capable of intimidating voters or interfering with the electoral process.

The party further expressed confidence that the people of Osun State would exercise their franchise freely and urged voters to participate peacefully in Saturday’s election.