The Ogun State chapter of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) is divided over the conduct of Saturday’s poll into the 20 local government councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.
The state’s Chairman of IPAC, Alhaji Moshood Adesina, had said on Sunday in Abeokuta that the body carefully reviewed the entire electoral process and was satisfied with the result announced by the electoral body.
But three members of the council—Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party(LP) and Unity Party of Nigeria(UPN)– dissociated themselves from the position of the body.
Adesina, however, described the poll as free, fair and credible.
“Guided by reports from our individual party agents across the state and after a careful study and deliberation of same, we hereby declare the poll free, fair and credible,” he said.
He noted that the conduct was transparent and inclusive, adding that a level playing field was provided for all the parties in the contest
Adesina, however, condemned “the few instances where disgruntled elements attempted to snatch ballot boxes or intimidate voters.’’
The chairman commended the electoral body for the “independent manner” in which the poll was conducted.
He also commended the media, security agents and other stakeholders for their various roles in making the poll successful.
But PDP, LP and UPN at separate press conferences called for the cancellation of the poll.
They hinged their arguments on the fact that the poll was characterised by violence and gross electoral irregularities.
The leadership of the South-West Zone of the PDP at a press conference on Sunday described the conduct of the poll as “unacceptable, condemnable and ridiculous.’’
The PDP Secretary in the zone, Bunmi Jenyo, alleged that election materials were not supplied in many polling centres while there were sporadic shootings in many areas to scare voters away.
He also alleged that the process was masterminded to perpetuate the ruling APC in power.
Jenyo, therefore, called for the cancellation of the poll.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGESIEC) has announced the results of the election.
Declaring the results, the commission’s Chairman, Mrs Risikat Ogunfemi, said the ruling APC won all the Chairmanship positions in all the 20 local governments and 37 LCDAs.
The party also won 346 councillorship seats out of the 349 wards in the state.
The Unity Party of Nigeria, however, won two councillorship seats while the PDP won one.
A total of 17 political parties participated in the poll.
Ogunfemi, who stated that the commission had discharged its duties without fear or favour, adjudged the poll free, fair and credible.
The OGESIEC boss, however, conceded that there was room for improvement on the conduct of council election.
“Election is a process and we can always learn from any shortcomings and improve on subsequent ones.
“The 2012 local government poll was not as effective as this and so we are sure that the next one will be better than this one,” she said.
Ogunfemi expressed appreciation for the support accorded the commission by the electorate and other stakeholders.
She advised candidates, who might have any complaint concerning the poll, to direct it to the election tribunal which she said would soon be constituted.
