#Nigeria Decides 2019: Malpractices mar election across Ogun – ADC

Benjamin Omoike l Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019

YEWA, Ogun, Nigeria – The African Democratic Congress, (ADC), has raised alarm that Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly election was marred by several electoral malpractices across Ogun state, especially in Ogun Central Senatorial District, in favour of the incumbent governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

In a statement issued by the Ogun state Secretary of the party, Bashorun Niyi Salako, the ADC alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and Allied Peoples’ Movement, APM, concluded plans to hijack some ballot boxes of the Senatorial election.

The party said that there were plans by the state government to use the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in the state to divert some of the commercial buses hired by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to an undisclosed location, while on their way to their collation centres after the election.

Meanwhile, some ballot papers meant for the Senatorial election were allegedly reported missing by some Electoral Officers across wards in Yewa North/Imeko Afon Federal Constituency, Yewa South LGA and Obafemi Owode LGA, among others.

Some state executives and House of Assembly candidates of the APC and APM were seen moving from one LGA to another, holding meetings with their parties’ agents and allegedly sharing money to electorates. 
    
Also, a total of 11,553 ballot papers of the Senate and House of Representatives were reported missing overnight at Ajilete ward, Yewa South LGA and Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal constituency as at 10am on Saturday.

Contrary to the claim of the EOs in charge of the wards that all sensitive materials were intact, ADC’s party agent and a few others confirmed that the materials had been tampered with.

A party agent in Ajilete ward said, “We (party agents) all confirmed yesterday that the materials were complete but were shocked to find today that 5,500 are missing. The EO could not defend himself after I queried him but rather wanted to collect about 3,000 ballot papers from a nearby polling unit, which we frowned at. He promised that 5,500 votes will be discounted from the total votes of the poling unit.”

“While some hoodlums disrupted the electoral processes in Kenta Idi-aba area in Abeokuta, some APM leaders and House of Assembly candidates were seen sharing money around Ward 10, Oke-Ola and Ward 9, Old Cooperative Bank building, Townhall, Remo North LGA, Ogun East Senatorial District and Magboro poling unit, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun Central senatorial district.

“There are also lapses on the part of INEC as the electoral process did not start in Sokori area in Abeokuta, Edu polling unit, Ketu Adie Owo, Ado Ota LGA till 1pm due to the absence of electoral materials like ballot papers and stamp pads among others.”

The state secretary also added that some members of the state’s NURTW had alerted the party on the plan of the ruling party, APC, to use some hoodlums to intimidate and harass the electorate and supporters of ADC’s Ogun Central Senatorial candidate, Rt. Hon. Titi Oseni-Gomez. 

He said, “We can confirm that some youth, who are meant to dress like members of the National Youth Service Corps, have been paid and will be deployed to certain polling units to work with some INEC officials to ask the electorate to vote APC and alter electoral figures.”

The ADC further alerted that it had obtained feelers that military and police guards would be assigned to top leaders of the ruling APC and APM on election day, a step which it said could greatly compromise the elections, “through well-known acts of public intimidation, clamp-down on the opposition, and other forms of political brigandage.

“We will also implore INEC to enforce the ban on the use of camera phones at voting centres, and then make sure that voters perform their civic duties without let or hindrance.”