“Stop Blackmailing INEC” – Osun APC Tells PDP

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun has told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop its serial blackmail of the Independent National Electoral Commission that except the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State is replaced, the PDP will not consider the election result credible. According to the APC, this stance is a blatant attempt by the PDP to corrupt the electoral process by arm-twisting INEC to replace a man the PDP has found impossible to manipulate
with one that will do its bidding during the August 9 polls.
In a statement issued by the Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Barr.Kunle Oyatomi in Osogbo yesterday, the APC said, it is the PDP itself that stalled the court process which was attempting to determine the truth or otherwise of that party’s allegation against the State’s Resident Electoral Commissioner.
The APC wants the public to know the truth of this matter which the attorney-general had earlier explained clearly as follows:
“The truth here is that during the general elections in April 2011, the PDP approached the Federal High Court sitting at Osogbo in suit No FHC/OS/26/2011 by way of originating summons seeking for the determination of 5 (five) issues all relating to the competence/legality or otherwise of the
REC, Ambassador Toyin Akeju to conduct the April 2011 general elections in the State of Osun. “An order preventing the REC, State of Osun from conducting general elections in the state was granted on the 28th March, 2011 and which order the INEC has appealed against, at the Court of Appeal, Akure. “It is important to emphasize again that the interlocutory orders granted by the Federal High Court, Osogbo has been properly appealed against, and thence put the enforcement and further proceedings in the case in abeyance pending the outcome of the appeal. “Curiously, it was even the counsel to the Plaintiff/now Respondent (PDP), against all known practices in law,that approached the lower court for stay of proceeding. The practice which the court described as “curious and bizarre”, albeit was granted and the proceedings stayed.
Besides, Professor Jega has challenged the PDP to produce proof that Akeju is compromised, otherwise he remains innocent of PDP’s allegation which the party as yet could also not prove in court. So for Omisore and the PDP to keep repeating a false allegation against an innocent person, is pure blackmail and an attempt to corrupt and manipulate the process to rig itself to power. “This nonsense must stop,” the APC said.
Barr. Kunle Oyatomi,
Director of Publicity,
Research and Strategy,
APC, State of Osun.