APC battles Kashamu, alleges rigging

The All Progressives Congress in
Ogun State has vowed to contest
the result of Saturday’s National
Assembly elections in the Ogun East
Senatorial District, where Buruji
Kashamu emerged winner.
The APC alleged that Kashamu’s
Peoples Democratic Party induced
voters and falsified results of the
polls.
The Secretary-General of the
Senator Ibikunle Amosun Campaign
Organisation, Bisi Adegbuyi, said
during a press briefing in Abeokuta
on Monday that the election in the
district was “marred by gross
irregularities, inducement and
intimidation of voters,
manipulation and falsification of
the results.
Adegbuyi explained that the results
announced by the Independent
National Electoral Commission did
not reflect the wishes of the people
of Ogun East, describing the
election in the district as mere
“charade”.
Kashamu has however said the
claims by the APC are unfounded.
The APC said, “We reject the results
of the National Assembly elections,
particularly the one for the
senatorial seat and the two federal
constituencies, Remo and Ijebu
North/Ijebu East/ Ogun Waterside.
“We want the entire world to know
that the results as announced by
INEC reflect predetermined,
manipulated and fictitious figures
forged by a rigging machinery of
the PDP, led by its senatorial
candidate, Mr. Buruji Kashamu.
“The APC is determined to
challenge the results of the Ogun
East Senatorial elections and the
two Houses of Representatives
seats within the confines of the
law.”
The party said it had
“incontrovertible evidence of the
manipulations that took place and
the roles played by certain
individuals.”
The APC’s candidate for the Ogun
East Senatorial District is Dapo
Abiodun, while the party’s
candidates for Remo and the Ijebu
North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside
federal constituencies are Olayinka
Odufuwa and Sulaiman Olubiyi
respectively. The three of them lost
in the election.
But Kashamu, who spoke through
his media aide, Austin Oniyokor,
noted that if there was rigging and
intimidation as alleged, the
accusers should supply the details.
He said, “Ordinarily, we would not
have dignified them with a
response. You can see that the
statement is loud in noise and
lacking in substance.
“If they say there was rigging,
intimidation and manipulation
during the election, they should
supply the details, rather than
hiding under some nebulous
excuses that say nothing.
“At any rate, the Electoral Act has
made provision for the ventilation
of issues arising from an election.
They should go to the tribunal to
prove their case. We will meet
them there.”