August 21, (THEWILL) — Because of Our Tomorrow (BOOT) party in Ogun State, on Thursday, rejected the results of Saturday’s bye-election for Remo Federal Constituency, calling on the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to stop acting as spokesperson for the ruling All Progressive Congress
INEC had announced APC’s Adesola Elegbeji the winner of the bye-election for the Sagamu/Ikenne/ Remo Federal Constituency, polling 41,237 votes to beat the main opposition, PDP’s Bolarinwa Oluwole, who scored 14,324 votes.
But IPAC, through its Chairman, Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu, had on Wednesday, called for calm among aggrieved opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to accept the outcome of the results from the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) or head to the court
Reacting on Wednesday, the State Chairman of the BOOT Party, Arch. Abiodun Akerele, in a statement in Abeokuta, urged IPAC not to ignore what he described as “dubious” results of the bye-election by asking the opposition to accept defeat, insisting that he would take a legal decision over the declaration of the results by INEC
Akerele said that the results of the election were allegedly rigged in favour of the ruling APC, and did not meet the expectations of the people of Remo Federal Constituency on a free, fair and credible poll, urging opposition parties in the state to reject IPAC’s call for results acceptance marred with electoral malpractices.
He warned IPAC not to force aggrieved political parties into silence over the out of the By-election results, expressing disappointment in IPAC for having neglected its role in promoting credible elections and defending democracy rather than being a mouthpiece for alleged “electoral fraud” by the APC
The Chairman said, “The attention of the BOOT Party, Ogun State Chapter, has been drawn to a recent statement credited to the Ogun State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), urging political parties that participated in the Remo Federal Constituency bye-election to ‘accept the results or go to court.
“IPAC is not a court of law. While we respect the role of IPAC as an advisory body, it is not within its mandate to coerce political parties into silence. Its primary responsibility is to promote credible elections and defend democracy, not to rubber-stamp electoral fraud or act as an unofficial mouthpiece for the ruling party.
“We wish to categorically state that a Flawed Process Cannot Birth a Legitimate Outcome. The so-called results announced by INEC do not reflect the will of the people of Remo Federal Constituency. Reports of voter intimidation, vote-buying, compromised electoral officers, and the heavy use of state apparatus in favour of the ruling party are still fresh in the minds of our people. IPAC’s call for blind acceptance of a tainted process is both disappointing and unacceptable.
“Our next steps as a responsible political organisation, the BOOT Party, are already consulting with legal experts, civil society groups, and other opposition parties to take the appropriate steps—both in court and through lawful democratic engagement—to reclaim the people’s mandate”, he added.
Seun Shotunde, THEWILL
