The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osun State Chapter has described the recently concluded house of assembly polls in the state as the worst in the history of democratic process in Nigeria due to unprecedented, unorthodox, unimaginable and strange situations that were on display in the last two weeks break between the presidential and State assembly polls when Osun was turned virtually to a theatre of war.
Shortly after the presidential and national assembly polls, there were in flux of strange faces in military uniforms, parading all nooks and crannies of Osun state harassing and arresting as many as possible members of PDP including the State House of Assembly candidates. For instance:
(1) the PDP Candidate for Obokun LG was arrested a day to the Election.
(2) PDP Candidate for Irepodun/Orolu was arrested on election day where he wanted to cast his vote
(3) APC thug, Mr. Omotoso Ebenezer Adeyinka carried the ballot box in Ojo/Aro ward 9 Unit 1 in Egbedore local government area of the state in the presence of Securities agents who didn't do anything but for the determination of the electorates who over powered him and rescued the box from him, the policeman at the unit said he was sent to maintain peace and not to protect election or election materials.
(4) More than 10 members of PDP were arrested in Ilesa West during a ward meeting of the party few days to the election including the PDP candidate and a former Executive Chairman of Ilesa West local government, they were detained at the State CID for more than 24 hours before the party chairman in the state went to secure their release.
(5) Shooting of gun in Ife South and Ife East led by APC thugs remained unabated, scaring people away from voting for more than ten days into the election. Scores of PDP members that were injured and maimed in Ife South local government are still in the intensive care unit of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching University till now after being detained for several days before the election. Ife East is the worst hit with serious damages to peoples homes and properties by APC thugs.
(6) There was a near fatal ttack on the PDP Candidate in Ede South LG Mr. Niran Atidade a day to Election. He narrowly escaped being shot dead by APC thugs who wounded his supporters with gun shots and severe machete cuts.
(7) Also there was a physical attack on the PDP Candidate at Ede North LG on election day by APC thugs who shot directly at him but was lucky to go unhurt.
(8) On election day, 9th of March Obokun local government was turned to a theatre of war when the APC thugs went on rampage shooting directly at electoral officers and policemen on duty, the party leaders had to invite the Osun State police patrol who assisted the INEC to rescue the election results from the Ward Collation centres with their Armoured Personnel Carrier Vehicles that were shot at by the APC thugs at Ward seven, Esa-Oke, they felled a palm tree on the road which disallowed the armoured tank to pass through Ere-Ijesa , ijebujesa road to Ibokun, the vehicle had to detour, passed through Ijebu Jesa - Ilesa / Idominasi road to Ibokun.
(9) On that day alone, more than 40 People were injured in Obokun,Ife South, Ife East, Egbedore, Ifelodun, Ede North, Ilesa West and Ilesa East.
(10) Also we have the record of the illegal arrest and detention of members of PDP in Boripe local government including Hon. Dada, the Personal Assistant to a PDP leader in the local government Rev Kajogbola.
(11) Vote buying not minding presence of security operatives in, Ife North, Ife East, Ife South, Ife Central, Modakeke Area Office, Osogbo and Olorunda local government areas became an eye sore where security operatives were the ones guarding their vehicles and money for them while open negotiations went on unabated in an open 'market' if I'm permitted to use that word, though investigation revealed that most of the uniformed men who were guiding them were fake policemen.
Several other misdemeanor marred the electoral process in Osun State which makes one raise the question, whether we are truly in a democracy.
The Peoples Democratic Party, in the light of the above analyses condemned in its entirety, the election into the Osun State House of Assembly which was marred with massive rigging, vote buying, intimidation, harassment and disenfranchisement of voters in all ramifications.
Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo,
Chairman, PDP,
Osun State Chapter.
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