July 13, (THEWILL) – The gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Ogun State during the 2023 election, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has again expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the 2023 gubernatorial election in the State.
Ajadi noted that many residents of the State, who were ready to vote for the party, could not find the name of the party on the ballot papers as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) omitted the name of the party on the ballot papers during the election.
He noted that, as a result of this, he is dissatisfied with the outcome of the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on 18th March 2023.
Ajadi made these disclosures during his investiture as Patron of Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, on Saturday.
The event, which was held at NUJ Secretariat in Ibadan, was attended by the former Board Chairman, National Lottery Commission, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle; former Chairman of Oluyole Local Government and Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to late former Governor, Alhaji Lam Adesina, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan; Oyo NUJ Chairman, Comrade Ademola Babalola; and Chairman of the Chapel, Comrade Raji Adebayo.
Others are; South West Publicity Secretary of NNPP, Kilamuwaye Badmus; Ogun State Chairman of the NNPP, Prince Ibrahim Adekunle; Ogun State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Kehinde Olowu; Oyo State NNPP PRO, Olaitan Femi Hero; and NNPP Ogun State Women Leader, Precious Foluke Bagbansoro
Ajadi, who spoke on the topic, “Contesting in Nigeria’s 2023 General Elections: Ogun State Experience,” insisted that he had a terrible experience during the campaign.
The NNPP candidate, while speaking on his experience, added that he survived several attacks, intimidations and threats from sponsored thugs and hoodlums.
He then insisted that he and his political party are not satisfied with the outcome of the elections because many eligible voters, who wished to vote for the political party, were disenfranchised.
According to him, “I am not comfortable with the outcome of the election due to how INEC robbed our party because they know that Nigerians are clamouring for a new Nigeria.
“As a result of that, they do not want any political party to come up aside from the two giant political parties in the country: APC and PDP. And as a result of that, Nigerians found it difficult to recognise our logo while the INEC omitted our party’s name on the ballot papers during the election.
“Because other political parties’ names were seen on the ballot papers, they saw the name aside from the logo on the ballot papers. The constitution of Nigeria does not only recognise logos without names on the ballot papers.
“Even if the political party did not write them, they should know that they are supposed to write the name of the party, which is New Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NNPP). I have a copy of the letter sent to them from the national headquarters of our party that our party’s name is not included in the ballot papers and that they should make a correction, but it is so unfortunate that on that very day, on the day of the election, the presidential election, we found out that the name of our political party was missing on the ballot papers.
“I personally wrote a letter to INEC in Ogun State that they should make sure that our political party’s name is included on the ballot papers they are going to print for the governorship election, but it is so disappointing that on the day of the governorship election, we could not find the name on the ballot papers.
“So, therefore, we went to court that INEC has failed Nigerians because people cannot recognise our political party and we were struck out that they cannot do anything about that. In the second suit at appeal, which happened to take place in Ibadan here, the judge did not even look at the ruling of the tribunal. It is so unfortunate that the judiciary is corrupt in the sense that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) that we gave money to represent us did not appear at the Appeal Court.
“If we are going to re-contest the election again, I am sure of my party’s victory in the state. If we are to conduct the election again, I am sure of my party’s victory.”
In his welcome address, the Chairman of Oyo State Correspondents’ Chapel, Raji Adebayo, appealed to the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the implementation of the subsidy removal policy and hasten the palliatives to cushion its effects.
He implored Tinubu to channel the proceeds from subsidy to infrastructural developments.
“The experience is everywhere, even we are experiencing post-election happenings presently among which is the removal of fuel subsidy, and I think every one of us is feeling the impact of the policy. This is why we all have to participate in the electoral process because whether you like it or not, the effects of a poorly implemented policy can cause disruption in the lives of those who voted and those who did not vote.
“But I will appeal to the Federal Government under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the implementation of the policy and hasten the palliatives to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal. We implore him to channel the proceeds from subsidy to infrastructural developments. We need good roads, medical facilities, education, and particularly, security,” he said.
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
