Date Published: 01/31/11

Oyo Central Re-Run:...Akala, Akinjide say emergence of Folarin illegal

Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and former Attorney General and Justice Minister Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) have said that the January 11 primary, which produced Jumoke Akinjide as the elected candidate for the oyo central senatorial district remained the only authentic.

They described the re-run which senate leader, Teslim Folarin reportedly claimed to have won as “a hoax, illegal, null and void and of no effect “. Akinjide spoke at a crowded press conference at his Idi-Ishin Ibadan residence while Akala spoke through his Special Adviser on Public Communications Prince Dotun Oyelade in a text message to our correspondent.

Akala said: “Folarin never held primary anywhere. From Ladigbolu to Ilora to CRIN to Methodist at Challenge area, no trace of Folarin primary was seen or attended by anyone including journalists because it never held. Decoys and subterfuge will never be allowed to replace genuine plebiscite in Oyo state.”

He said the declaration of Folarin as the winner would be resisted by the people of the state. Akinjide insisted his lawyer-daughter remained the winner of the primary and the elected candidate for the senatorial district going by the January 11 primary, which also produced held Governor Alao-Akala as the party’s flag bearer.

The PDP Board of Trustees member said Folarin did not obtain nomination form or participate in the January 11 primary.

He added: “He was more so was not at the venue recognised by the article of the party constitution which stipulates that the primary should be conducted at the senatorial headquarters, which is Oyo town”.

He lamented the order for a re-run in the first place, stressing that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had categorically said that any primary outside the January 15 deadline in its election timetable would not be observed by the body.

He further disclosed that a Federal High Court on January 27 served the national secretariat of the party an order of restraining the PDP from conducting any re-run.

Despite the order, the re-run held last Friday observed by INEC and PDP officials from Abuja where about 1, 000 votes were recorded in favour of Folarin as against about 500 for Jumoke.

Akinjide said: “The same structure which produced the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, the three senatorial districts candidates and the governor produced my daughter. All were accepted and recognised. So, I believe INEC will not accept whatever Folarin or the PDP said they did yesterday (Friday). The legal luminary said he complained to the Acting Chairman of the party Dr Mohammed Bello on phone on Friday.

Bello, he said, ‘’ appealed to me to take it as it has been but I told him that the action was illegal. The INEC said that they will not have anything to do with the re-run, yet Folarin said he has won the primary.‘’‘’ This is fraudulent and it will not stand. The issues are very clear and at the end of the day, truth will triumph. I feel very sad for this country; for the quality of certain people masquerading as politicians. ‘’I joined politics at 24 and I entered parliament at 27.

Our family does not rely on public funds or government treasury to do our politics. Jumoke has done over 10, 00 surgical operations for people using our family resources. We believe in honesty, quality and integrity.

Jumoke is going there for public service and not treasury looting”.

If the Folarin’s election stands, Akinjide said, “He will not win. I know the INEC Chairman very well; he will rather resign than allow himself to be involved in election rigging. Those who are part of the problem cannot be part of the solution. I believe the Acting Chairman is a very honourable person.

“He will do the right thing. Following the court order served on them and the lesson of former Chairman, Nwodo, I believe he will not fall into the same ditch.

“I am worried because Nigeria is not a failed state, but we unless we are careful, we are walking towards it”.

He further asserted that Folarin never presented any photograph or video footage to authenticate his primary and where it was held. He added that “the Area Commander in Oyo confirms that no primary was conducted. No evidence of parallel primary”.