Osun decides: PDP, Adeleke bought votes during election – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ademola Adeleke, engaged in
vote-buying during Saturday's inconclusive Osun State Governorship
election.

APC spokesman, Yekini Nabena, in a statement on Monday, said the
vote-buying template allegedly introduced by the PDP and "brazenly
deployed" in the Osun inconclusive election was a threat to democracy.

He said while the PDP and its paid proxies were accusing other
political parties of irregularities during Saturday's inconclusive
elections, the party was allegedly busy perpetuating its vote-buying
scheme as exposed in several leaked videos showing PDP agents buying
votes for its candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke particularly in Ede
local councils of Osun State.

The statement added: "The PDP's now public rigging method particularly
vote-buying and dissemination of diversionary fake news must be
checked particularly as we go into the INEC-ordered Osun governorship
rerun.

"We also call on the electorate, civil society organisations and
relevant stakeholders to speak out and resist the PDP's retrogressive
plans which threaten our democracy.

"Again, while the PDP attempts to misinform the public on the
rationale for declaring the Osun Governorship election inconclusive,
they should be reminded that in 2015, the late Abubakar Audu of Kogi
State was leading by 240, 867 votes to PDP 199,514 votes, the margin
of 41,353 favoured APC but it was declared inconclusive.

"IINEC ordered a rerun because 49,953 cancelled votes were higher than
the 41,353 despite the fact that APC was leading with a wide margin.
At the time PDP did not protest rather prepared and waited for the
rerun date.

"The PDP cannot be supportive of decisions only when it seemingly
favours them. There are electoral precedents, guidelines and laws
which are binding on all.

"Finally, we reiterate our confidence that the Osun electorate will
resist the PDP's deployment to take over the state by force. The
people's will; the people's vote is supreme. It must be respected and
defended. That is democratic, progressive and the right thing."