By Femi Makinde
The deputy governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Justice Olamide Oloyede (rtd.) has flayed the Independent National Electoral Commission for declaring the Osun State governorship election inconclusive.
Oloyede, who was retired by the National Judicial Council for criticising the All Progressives Congress’ administration led by Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke, ought to have been declared the winner of the election.
Speaking in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Osogbo on Monday, Oloyede said the cancellation of votes in those polling units were orchestrated before the poll and it was unfortunate that the INEC allowed itself to be used to rob the people of the state.
She said, “The people have spoken and that is the beauty of democracy. What the people said should be allowed to stand and whatever we do today will become history in the future.
“There have been antecedents, Kogi State is one, Oshiomhole’s case is another one. The cancelled votes were not deducted from the voters and they did not affect the winners of the elections in any way.
“That is why I am a bit worried now. I am worried and I said to myself, why are they making Osun State an exemption in this case? Once you cancelled votes, they no longer form parts of the valid votes. So why will you now be deducting cancelled votes in this case? What kind of mathematics is INEC now involved in?
“It is rather an orchestrated thing. I was told by somebody before the election that votes from these areas would be cancelled but I did not believe the person. I was shocked when what he said came to pass. What he said was very accurate and I began to wonder because this is strange.”
