Ekiti State House of Assembly rejects election results as Inec hands Fayemi certificate of return

MEMBERS of the Ekiti State House of Assembly have rejected the results of the recent gubernatorial election which resulted in ex-solid minerals minister Dr Kayode Fayemi being elected and granted a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).

Last Saturday, Ekiti State went to the polls and Inec declared Dr Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner with 197,459 votes against the 178,121 votes secured by deputy governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Professor Kolapo Olusola Eleka. Earlier today, Inec handed Dr Fayemi a certificate of return, paving the way for him to be sworn-in on October 16.

Despite this official declaration, the PDP-dominated Ekiti State House of Assembly has condemned and rejected the result. Also, adopting a motion moved by the leader of business Akinyele Olatunji, the assembly also adjourned sitting until October 8, due to what it alleged is the constant harassment of members by security ser4vices.

Speaking at the House plenary in Ado-Ekiti, Hon Olatunji described the process leading to the election and final results as unfortunate. He also condemned the harassment of Governor Ayo Fayose's, PDP leaders across the state and members of the state assembly by security men.

Hon Samuel Omotoso, the chairman of the House Committee on Information, said the election did not meet all democratic credentials. He pointed out that the election was marred by outright brigandage, vote buying and the falsification of results.

Deputy whip, Hon Ekundayo Akinleye, remarked that the outcome of the election had shown that Nigerians should not expect free and fair elections in 2019.

Speaker of the assembly, Hon Kola Oluwawole, described the election as a show of shame with thugs and security men openly working for the APC, alleging that figures were brazenly doubled to favour the declared winner and expressed confidence that the stolen mandate would soon be retrieved.

In addition, the lawmakers also called on the security agencies to leave Ekiti State to allow government business to thrive unhindered. This call was made as a coalition of domestic and international election observers accredited to observe the elections said they fell short of global best practices and electoral standards.

Apparently, the observers, who comprised representatives from over 50 domestic organisations, human rights groups and international election observer bodies, based their report on lapses noticed in the conduct of the election, especially the role of security agencies. They include Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Nigeria; Justice and Equity Organisation, Nigeria; International Republican Institute, United States of America; and Patriotic Women Foundation, Abuja, as well as the other bodies from the African Unions, among others.

Although the observers praised Inec for the proper conduct of the poll in line with global and constitutional dictates and standards, they faulted the deployment of 30,000 policemen for the election. They stated that the conduct of some of the security operatives and unwholesome practices of vote buying, whereby voters surreptitiously showed which party they voted for to party agents who went behind to settle them, largely marred the electoral process.

They also said the election was characterised by ballot box snatching, sporadic shootings and driving away of some party agents as well as intimidation, oppression and forceful influence of the electorate’s free will, among others. According to the observers, the poll could not be recommended as a template for the forthcoming 2019 general elections as it fell short of global standards and spelt doom.

Gabriel Nwambu, of the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Abuja, said: “The exercise witnessed a high level of unprecedented electoral related challenges and such abuse will remain contentious until justice prevails, especially in the areas of cash inducement, arrests of political stalwarts by security agents and snatching of electoral materials by political thugs, among other abuses. Party agents had huge cash and were close to voting points.

"Security agents were indifferent to cash inducement of voters. The whole process falls short of the compliance with international best standards.”