The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has said it will boycott the December 7 local government election in the state over alleged plot by Governor Kayode Fayemi to rig the poll.
In a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti by Hon. Yinka Olomofe on behalf of Ado-Ekiti Council Stakeholders, the party directed its members to distance themselves from the election, which it described as a predetermined exercise.
The party also described the election as a shambolic exercise, alleging that information available revealed that Governor Fayemi had perfected plans to rig the exercise through political thugs.
The opposition party alleged that the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Justice Aladejana, lacked the moral impetus to superintend over the electoral body.
The party claimed Ekiti SIEC was not capable of conducting free, fair and credible election since the electoral body was under the control of Governor Fayemi.
The party said the ‘purported council election’ was a plan by Governor Fayemi to use EKSIEC as a conduit pipe to loot the state’s treasury to a tune of N5billion.
The statement read: “The integrity of the Chairman of State Independent Electoral Commission is in doubt. A man suspended as Chief Judge of the state due to his professional misconduct lacks moral standing toconduct a free and fair elections,” the statement read in part.
“We also frown at the ridiculous amount of money which is said to be about N5 billion purportedly allocated for this shoddy exercise. We will not participate in an exercise which is solely aimed at siphoning the state’s scarce resources.
“An election predetermined to payback supporters of Fayemi in APC cannot enjoy our participation. We will not give unnecessary credibility to an election with a predetermined outcome.”
“APC members in Ado-Ekiti have reliably informed us that the governor has directed his political thugs, especially transport workers, to attack with machetes, shoot or kill anyone that stands on their way before, during and after elections.
“We therefore urge our members to continue preparing for 2022 governorship elections, which is our focus and allow Kayode Fayemi and his political thugs continue their peculiar mess.”
In a swift reaction, the All Progressive Congress described PDP’s allegations as mere conjectural statements lacking content of validity in all its measures.
The APC Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ade Ajayi, challenged the opposition party to come out with facts and figures to substantiate their allegations.
Ajayi said APC was prepared for the election, saying the party would soon set out its machinery in motion to embark on a house-to-house campaign to garner votes for the party.
