APC battles Kashamu, alleges rigging

Buruji Kashamu

The All Progressives Congress in Ogun State has vowed to contest the result of Saturday’s National Assembly elections in the Ogun East Senatorial District, where Buruji Kashamu emerged winner.

The APC alleged that Kashamu’s Peoples Democratic Party induced voters and falsified results of the polls.

The Secretary-General of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun Campaign Organisation, Bisi Adegbuyi, said during a press briefing in Abeokuta on Monday that the election in the district was “marred by gross irregularities, inducement and intimidation of voters, manipulation and falsification of the results.

Adegbuyi explained that the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission did not reflect the wishes of the people of Ogun East, describing the election in the district as mere “charade”.

Kashamu has however said the claims by the APC are unfounded.

The APC said, “We reject the results of the National Assembly elections, particularly the one for the senatorial seat and the two federal constituencies, Remo and Ijebu North/Ijebu East/ Ogun Waterside.

“We want the entire world to know that the results as announced by INEC reflect predetermined, manipulated and fictitious figures forged by a rigging machinery of the PDP, led by its senatorial candidate, Mr. Buruji Kashamu.

“The APC is determined to challenge the results of the Ogun East Senatorial elections and the two Houses of Representatives seats within the confines of the law.”

The party said it had “incontrovertible evidence of the manipulations that took place and the roles played by certain individuals.”

The APC’s candidate for the Ogun East Senatorial District is Dapo Abiodun, while the party’s candidates for Remo and the Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside federal constituencies are Olayinka Odufuwa and Sulaiman Olubiyi respectively. The three of them lost in the election.

But Kashamu, who spoke through his media aide, Austin Oniyokor, noted that if there was rigging and intimidation as alleged, the accusers should supply the details.

He said, “Ordinarily, we would not have dignified them with a response. You can see that the statement is loud in noise and lacking in substance.

“If they say there was rigging, intimidation and manipulation during the election, they should supply the details, rather than hiding under some nebulous excuses that say nothing.

“At any rate, the Electoral Act has made provision for the ventilation of issues arising from an election. They should go to the tribunal to prove their case. We will meet them there.