Ondo Assembly: Labour Party closes in on PDP

Without any controversy, Saturday September 19, 2009 will remain memorable for the people of Akure North in Ondo State.

The local government, which has 12 wards comprising Iju, Ita-Ogbolu, Oba-ile, Ogbese, Igboba, Ilu-abo, Eyelewo and other towns and villages had been in trenches courtesy of some notable politicians in the area who for almost six years held the area in the jugular.

When the trauma lasted, no responsible indigene of the area would want to be proud of being part of this rebellious community.

In fact, Akure North was branded "the most politically volatile" area in Ondo State, where a prominent traditional ruler was on exile for almost four years. He abandoned his throne and subjects because of violence and attacks perpetrated by hoodlums reportedly sponsored by some politicians in the area who were in the saddle then.

Hundreds of indigenes of the area particularly Iju fled the town as its monarch, Oba Amos Farukanmi, the Okiti of Iju abdicated the throne and abandoned his palace, crowns and the paraphilenia of his office for safety.

There were cases of violence and killing of innocent indigenes, massive destruction of private and public buildings by political hoodlums under the aegis of "Soobo boys".

One of the pathetic experience witnessed in the area was in 2007 when the former Majority Leader and prominent PDP member in Akure North local government council, late Emmanuel Oludare Ogunleye representing ward eight in the council was hacked to death in the presence of his octogenarian father in Iju because of political rivalry between party leaders within the same political party in control then.

The palace of the traditional ruler was vandalised, while the properties of his brother and former Alliance for Democracy (AD) senator, Olorunimbe Farukanmi were damaged.

However, with the inception of the Olusegun Mimiko administration, peace is gradually returning to the crisis-ridden Akure North. Oba Farukanmi and his numerous subjects, including the newly elected legislator, Akindele Adeniyi who was the former vice chairman of the local council are now back into their ancestral home.

They entered Iju community recently with ecstacy just like the biblical "triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem" with a promise by Governor Mimiko to renovate the vandalised palace of Okiti of Iju.

This same scenario pervaded in the April 14, 2007 when the House of Assembly election took place in the area. It was won by PDP’s candidate, late Akin Alasoadura. Unfortunately, he could not join his other colleagues during their inauguration in June 2007 as he died shortly after being declared winner.

Consequently, the seat became vacant since 2007, thereby depriving Akure North constituents from sharing out of benefits derivable from the state House of Assembly, especially proactive legislation.

For almost two and half years, the seat of Akure North at the parliament was vacant until penultimate Saturday when INEC took the responsibility of conducting election which many observers described as the most peaceful and hitch-free.

As early as 8.00a.m on the election day, voters trooped out in large number in almost all the units designated for the election.

Without minding the rain that threatened to mar the voting exercise, electorate defied the downpour and cast their votes in peaceful manner at Iju, Ita-ogbolu, Ogbese, Oba-ile, Ilu-Abo, Eleyewo and other communities, security agents were on hand to maintain orderliness.

Aside some pockets of violence in Igoba and Iju where loyalists of the two rival parties (LP and PDP) wanted to out smart themselves; the exercise was smooth and hitch-free.

Though, as it is customary for losers in any contest to attribute their failures to certain cause, both the PDP and AC said the election was not conducted in consonance with electoral laws. But many political observers were of the opinion that the bye-election in Akure North was devoid of violence and could be rated the best since 1999.

They argued that INEC made solid arrangements for hitch-free and fraud-proof election, while police and other security operatives displayed high sense of commitment to the exercise. Many observers recalled that the 2007 general election in Akure North was an exclusive exercise for PDP loyalists that were in control of government machinery then.

They noted that in the past, particularly in the April 2007 general election, there was no election, alleging that PDP, INEC and the police colluded to perpetrate electoral heist against other political parties.

During the period, the common language was ballot stuffing, hijacking of ballot boxes, multiple voting, visible attacks on electorate, burning of opposition member houses and other electoral vices which were conspicuously absent during the bye-election in Akure North.

Though, the PDP’s State Chairman, Dr. Tayo Dairo and his AC counterpart, Mr. Sola Iji criticised the conduct of the election, but opinion from majority observers indicated that the election went according to the dictate of electoral law.

Dairo, who was supported by the party’s secretary, Mr. Sola Oludipe and former Commissioner for Finance, Chief Tayo Alasoadura, said the ruling LP) in collusion with security agencies and state brought political brigandage on the hapless electorate to scare them.

He also accused INEC of giving only 24 hours notice instead of 14 days to the party to submit the name of its candidate, alleging that PDP agents were driven out of the election materials distribution centre.

Said Dairo, "the PDP was not part of distribution of materials or the process of checking the number and authenticity of the documents deployed for the exercise. PDP agents who were supposed to monitor the election were chased away by thugs to allow LP access to voting manipulation at the unit level".

The PDP chair disclosed that the party would challenge the result at the election tribunal when all relevant documents are available.

Also the AC said the bye-election was planned to favour the ruling LP because of the two weeks notice given to the parties.

Iji said contrary to the assurances by Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and the Police Commissioner to conduct a free and fair poll, the experience was disappointing.

Iji condemned the alleged act of fraud, stressing that electoral thuggery and violence received support of the government. The AC leader said the party had rejected the outcome of the result.

But both the state police boss, Iroham and REC, Chief Ayo Dada, described the election as most transparent and hitch-free.

According to Dada, the election was relatively peaceful, saying "all political party agents went through the final result sheets after the election and acknowledged that it went according to the voting pattern, stressing that he was embarrassed by the reports of some dailies on the outcome of the election".

The INEC commissioner maintained that security men were on hand to ensure hitch-free exercise.

Also the Ondo State Police Commissioner said the bye-election in Akure North was devoid of violence.

The Command’s spokesman, Mr Adeniran Aremu, said reports from all the polling units manned by his men indicated that the election was peaceful, stressing that the police did their best to maintain law and order.

According to him, there was no record of violence in all polling centres and the local government collation centre, noting that the police were impartial to all political parties in maintaining law and order.

The State Secretary of Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), Hon. Pius Omolola, who was also in Akure North to monitor the bye-election, said it was free and fair and conducted without any intimidation.

In his own remark, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi who monitored the election expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the poll, which, according to him, was devoid of any major crisis

Olanusi commended voters for trooping out and conducting themselves with decorum saying "the peaceful conduct of the election is a demonstration of philosophy of Mimiko’s administration which is justice, equity and progress.

Also, Governor Olusegun Mimiko through the Commissioner for Information, Ranti Akerele rejoiced with Akure North citizenry and LP supporters and other progressives on the victory of its candidate.

He noted that the election described by observers, residents and electorate as the first true genuine election since 1999 was made possible through the collaboration of security agencies, INEC and the citizenry that uphold the basic tenets of democracy, which accords recognition to one man, one vote.

Mimiko stressed that future elections would be observed in similar pattern devoid of political brigandage and electoral fraud, urging the new legislator to strive hard to offer proactive legislation to his constituency.

With the emergence of LP’s candidate, Akindele Adeniyi to represent his constituency at the state parliament, there is hope that he would strive hard to give solid representation to the entire communities in Akure North.