Osun Under Siege, PDP Cries Out, Calls for Cancellation of Supplementary Election

By Adedayo Akinwale and Palvin Namero in Abuja

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has called for the cancellation of the supplementary election in Osun State over alleged electoral malpractice.

Secondus, made the call Thursday at a press conference in Abuja, where he said that Osun state was under siege as security agencies deliberately chased away journalists, observers and supporters of the party from exercising their basic rights.

The party lamented that if what happened in Osun was what would happen in the 2019 general elections, the future of Nigerian democracy was bleak, warning that the country is sliding into crisis.

Secondus stated: “Today we are all aware of the rerun election in Osun state as we address the press conference. We, the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) has reviewed what has happened since, from the distribution of materials to the actual voting that has taken place in some of the units and wards.”

“We found that Osun is under siege, therefore today is a black day for Nigeria. We would think that it is a state or some units, but if you look at what has transpired so far from Ekiti to Osun state, Nigerians are groaning in pains especially the Osun people.”

“INEC must rise above what is happening in Osun and declare our candidate immediately and all the units where the security agencies have seized our people, some of them beaten up, their PVCs…. INEC should immediately cancel the elections in these areas.”

The party alleged that the right of the citizens was trampled upon, the wards and units had been seized by the security agencies who were allegedly acting on behalf of APC to make sure the election was rigged by all means.

Secondus stressed; “We want to call on our security chiefs that they swore to defend Nigeria and not to defend and protect one party. What we have witnessed in Osun showed clearly that APC is not ready for election and we are afraid that Buhari will handover if he loses election next year.”

Also, the Deputy National Chairman, South-west, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, said the party discovered early that the security agents colluded with the APC, thereby allowing those wearing uniform bearing the APC governorship name to vote.

“Specifically, in Orolu and Garage Olode and many of the seven units that were supposed to engage in this voting this morning, the took away all our members, seizing their PVCs, inducing the INEC staff with cash they cannot refuse.

“The APC governorship candidate was given a free hand to do whatever he wanted to do, while our people were driven away from the units,” he said.