Chief Segun Oni, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Mrs Kemi Elebute-Halle, the candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), on Sunday rejected the results of the Saturday’s Ekiti governorship election, saying the outcome will be challenged at the tribunal.
Oni made this known on Sunday, June 19, in Ado-Ekiti, through Mr Owoseni Ajayi; his state Collation agent and who was the Attorney-General of the state; while speaking with newsmen on the outcome of the election.
Similarly, Mrs Kemi Elebute-Halle, the candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the Ekiti election, said that the victory of Mr Biodun Oyebanji in the just concluded election was “tainted with vote-buying and corruption”.
The SDP candidate said that the results, as declared by INEC, did not reflect the true decision of the people; lamenting that the process was allegedly marred by financial inducement.
Ajayi, who said he refused to sign the election results said; ”We are rejecting the results because the election was characterised by violence and intimidation of voters.
“As a result, we will definitely challenge outcomes of these results in the court of law for posterity and generations coming to know that when conducting elections, you must follow the rules and procedures.”
The Ekiti gubernatorial election took place on June 18 in all the local government areas of the state.
ALSO READ: Peter Obi bemoans vote-buying in wake of Ekiti polls
Meanwhile, all efforts to speak with SDP candidate, Chief Segun Oni proved abortive; as he was not allowed to see or speak with anyone.
Elebute-Halle, in a statement signed on her behalf by Mr Femi Eponlolaye, the State Chairman of the party in Ado-Ekiti, condemned the snatching of ballot boxes, vote-buying, and harassment of her party members.
According to her, political thugs and members of a party in Ado-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti; as well as Ikole-Ekiti, and Ilasa-Ekiti, among other areas, attacked supporters of her party.
“The victory of Mr Biodun Oyebanji in the just concluded governorship election ordinarily would have been accepted by me, if the election had not been fraught by electoral malpractices.
“In spite of various sensitisation programmes and media publicity against vote-buying; the APC, PDP, and SDP actually promoted and encouraged corruption; both at the grassroots and the state levels.
“Though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pronounced Oyebanji as the winner of this election, I, Kemi Elebute-Halle, hereby reject the results of this election.
“It was not credible, neither was it free nor fair. His APC thugs distabilised my strongholds across the state, attacked our members, and snatched and destroyed our ballot boxes.
“All those votes, including those obtained by PDP, will be cancelled at the tribunal.
“I want to use this medium to urge my followers not to be discouraged about the outcome of the election.
“We shall continue to promote our great party, the ADP,” she said.
