APC Accuses Mimiko of Plan to Shift Election Date

• Sheriff: Jimoh remains the PDP candidate

James Sowole in Akure

Barely 12 days to the Ondo State governorship election, the campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm that Governor Olusegun Mimiko was working surreptitiously to ensure a postponement of the poll.

The allegation was contained in a statement issued in Akure, the Ondo State capital yesterday by the Director of Communications of the Akeredolu Campaign Platform, Mr. Soji Alakuro who expressed the readiness of the APC candidate, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the poll.

He however, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies not to succumb to the antics of the governor.

‘’We are aware of the untoward moves and pressures being mounted on the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) as well as friendly security heads in the state by Governor Olusegun Mimiko on the need to postpone the forth-coming governorship election in the state.
‘’As a way of laying a false template for such, the governor is plotting a three days street wide protest in the state capital, Akure and other major towns in the state.

“This is planned to hold between November 23 and 25. Undoubtedly, this is a recipe for violence and the governor should be held responsible
for any acts of crisis.

‘’To say the least, this is a mindlessly conceived move aimed at obstructing the democratic zeal of our people to elect a new governor.

It is condemnable and should be stopped or at least discouraged by all well meaning people of the state.

‘’While we are not against the legitimate right of individuals to pursue cases as they affect them, even up to the Supreme Court, the move such as conceived by Mimiko to mislead friendly security agents as well as INEC is undemocratic, most uncharitable and mischievous.

‘’For us in the APC, the party and our candidate, Oluwarotimi , are both prepared for the poll. Not only are we prepared, we are ready to encourage every bit of human effort to bring about a peaceful election but not as conceived by Mimiko.

“Therefore, we call on all security agencies and INEC not to cave in to this misleading motive,” he said.

Responding to the allegation, the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Director of Publicity, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, said the APC was jittery that the party’s candidate, Eyitayo Jegede would win at the Court of Appeal.

He said the APC knew that with Jegede in contest, Akeredolu cannot win the election. So the APC is jittery and went about with frivolous allegations.
Meanwhile, the factional National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, yesterday declared that the party had no other candidate for the November 26 Ondo State gubernatorial election other than Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

Sheriff stated this at Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area while presenting the flag of the party to Ibrahim at the campaign rally organised by his faction of the.

Ibrahim was declared the candidate of the party by the INEC, following the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja, though the candidate of Ahmed Makarfi’s faction, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede had approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the action of the INEC.

He charged members of the party to work harder and ensure that the party’s flagbearer for the election wins the poll.

Sheriff said: “Today is the beginning of the journey and on November 23, I will come and close the journey at the grand finale. Make sure you vote for the PDP, vote for Jimoh Ibrahim.”
The PDP factional candidate, Ibrahim, while addressing his supporters at the rally, said if elected, he would positively transform the state from the state of hopelessness, poverty and injustice.

He promised to uplift the standard of education of the state, give better life to traditional rulers in the state.

He added that the abandoned Olokola Free Trade Zone would revived.
He said: “During our time you will not suffer, during our time we will use your money to develop Ondo State “