The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the conduct of the 2024 Local Government election in which candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won all 20 chairmanships and 236 Councilorship seats.
At a press conference in Abeokuta, the state capital, the state chairman of the PDP, Abayomi Tella, described the LG poll as a “sham” in which the State’s Independent Electoral Commission engaged in systematic rigging “in favour of its paymaster.”
Flanked by the governorship candidate of the party at the year 2023 general election, Hon Ladipupo Adebutu, the state secretary of the party, Semiu Sodipo, among others, the PDP state chairman said the state electoral body only put “a charade and manipulation” as against his previous assurances that the LG election would be free and fair.
Tella alleged that several polling units in the state’s Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, where PDP candidates were initially declared winners, were later manipulated in favour of the ruling APC candidate.
In his own words, Hon Adebutu, the PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 general election, said the LG election held at the weekend was the worst “so far in the history of the state.”
Adebutu explained that some leaders and members of the main opposition political party were attacked by hoodlums allegedly on the payroll of APC, stressing that his home in Iperu-Remo was not spared in the attacks as the hoodlums invaded his household and unleashed terror on his aides and residents.
Adebutu added that armed policemen also stormed his house and opened fire, a situation which led to one of his police details being hit by a bullet.
“Our rights were trampled upon on Saturday. Military personnel were unleashed on the civilians.
Out of 5,442 polling units in the state, elections did not occur in over 4,000 units. One will then wonder where the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) got all the number of votes they announced.
“They brought a heavy detachment of police to attack my household. They attacked my aides and security details. Hoodlums were unleashed on us. One of my security details was shot, and the hoodlums carted away his rifle.’’
“Efele, a transport union leader, was seen in a convoy of policemen driving around during the election to attack PDP supporters and leaders in Odogbolu Local Government Area.
Soldiers arrested voters and took them to the Barracks in Ilese-Ijebu.
When asked whether his party would approach the court to seek redress, the party’s chairman, Tella, however, said that the Ogun PDP legal team was still studying the election outcome, declaring that “we will not fold our arms and allow the situation to go unchallenged.”
