- By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress and an aspirant in the Ekiti North Senatorial District primary held on Monday, Otunba Oluwadare Owolabi, has rejected the outcome of the exercise, describing it as “an act of terrorism” and not a democratic process.
Speaking with newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, Owolabi, a self-described technocrat and first-time contestant, alleged widespread irregularities across the district’s five local governments, including Ikole, Oye, Ido Osi, Ilejemeje and Moba.
According to Owolabi, he said, “Votes were not counted. Accreditations were not done”.
He claimed that government employees deployed as electoral officials disrupted proceedings when results did not favor “their principal.”
According to him, venues were thrown into chaos, voters fled, and results were later written in private locations “not known to participants, not known to agents, and not known to the contestants.”
While official figures credited him with over 2,800 votes, Owolabi insisted his camp recorded 4,341 votes from areas where voting was allowed. “These are areas where they actually voted, not areas where there were problems and they had to chase people out,” he stated.
He cited specific incidents in Ido Osi and Oye LGA, where elections were cancelled over alleged irregularities.
In Ikun Ekiti, voters lined up but thugs disrupted counting. In Ifaki, he said a former governor was present but no officials were seen, yet votes were later announced.
In Ipao Ekiti, he alleged that about 256 votes counted at the venue were reduced to 25 or 32 on the result sheet.
“What we saw yesterday was an attempt to impose a candidate on the people,” Owolabi said. “This is not actually democracy.”
The aspirant demanded a total cancellation of the primary and a fresh conduct of the exercise.
He said he possesses photos, videos, and other documentation to back his claims and will present them to the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, which he said is empowered by party guidelines to handle such grievances. “I believe the party knows what it is doing, and I believe the party will address it accordingly,” he added.
Despite the dispute, Owolabi said he would begin a ward-to-ward thank-you tour to appreciate supporters.
He also announced plans to establish a foundation to educate citizens on their political roles, noting that poor voter education contributed to the lapses witnessed. “People were not accredited, and people are not even checked to confirm whether they are eligible to vote or not,” he said.
Looking ahead, Owolabi said he would shift focus to mobilizing for the June 20 governorship election to ensure Governor Abiodun Oyebanji’s return to office, while still pursuing redress for the senatorial primary.
