The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has decided to contest the results of the presidential and National Assembly elections held on Saturday. The candidates from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were elected in all three Senatorial Districts and secured victory in all nine House of Representatives seats in the state. During a press conference at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office in Osogbo on Monday, the acting chairman of Osun APC, Tajudeen Lawal, accused PDP-backed hoodlums of disrupting the elections in various locations and attacking several APC members.
Lawal claimed that these hoodlums targeted and pursued APC members in polling units across Iragbiji, Ikirun, Ila-Orangun, Ile-Ife, Ikire, Ilesa, Okuku, Inisa, Ede, Ipetumodu, Edun-Abon, Ifetedo, and Gbongan, alleging that they were sponsored by the ruling party. He further stated that the police did not intervene to challenge the attackers. Lawal described the elections as being conducted under siege, asserting that the PDP’s thugs created an environment where it was nearly impossible for any political party adhering to the rules to win against the PDP, which he referred to as a “political vampire” willing to resort to violence against APC members and supporters.
Lawal emphasized that the APC is formally challenging the results of both the presidential and National Assembly elections in Osun State. He urged party members and supporters not to be disheartened by the unusual political developments, describing them as a temporary issue in the state’s political history. He warned the beneficiaries of the declared election results not to celebrate, as many PDP candidates would face scrutiny at the tribunal.
In response, the Director of Media for the PDP, Oladele Olabamiji, stated that the APC was entitled to challenge the results but denied any intimidation of voters by the party or the government during the elections. He expressed skepticism regarding the claims of thugs operating in the state, asserting that the election took place in a peaceful atmosphere and that the results reflected the collective will of the Osun people. Olabamiji cautioned the APC against treating the court as an extension of their party, emphasizing that the judiciary serves all Nigerians, regardless of their political affiliations. He concluded by dismissing the APC’s criticisms of the election as unfounded.
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