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Tag: poll

  • I’m not running for poll, says Danladi

    I’m not running for poll, says Danladi

    Taraba State Acting Governor Abubakar Sani Danladi at the weekend said he will not contest any election in 2015.

    Danladi addressed reporters in Jalingo, the state capital, at a Christmas dinner in his house.

    There were speculations that Danladi would dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest the governorship election in an opposition party.

    But the acting governor dispelled the rumour.

    He said: “I shall remain loyal to my boss, Governor Danbaba Suntai. God upholds loyalty.

    “I am not going to contest any election. People should stop panicking. Everybody should come and work with me, even those who plotted my impeachment shouldn’t fear.

    “I wouldn’t regret what happened because I know it was designed by God. God designed that I would be deputy governor for some time, out for another period and back to office for the remaining period of the administration.

  • A divided house goes for shadow poll

    A divided house goes for shadow poll

    There is crisis in the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as it holds governorship primary  today to elect its governorship candidate for next year’s election. The party is polarised by the ambition of two aspirants-Jimi Agbaje and Musiliu Obanikoro. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the acrimonious preparations for the shadow poll and the tension unleashed by the bitter competition for power.

    The die is cast between former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and the Afenifere chieftain, Jimi Agbaje, a  pharmacist. The two politicians are the frontliners in today’s Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries. Other aspirants – Dr. Segun Ogundimu, Mr. Bola Gbadamosi, Ambassador Tokunbo Kamson and Mr. Deji Doherty, an engineer-may be like spectators at the shadow poll.

    Ahead of the exercise, there is tension in the troubled chapter. Party sources said that there is desperation on both sides. Although Agbade has not approached the contest as a do-or-die matter, those supporting him are hinging their survival on his ambition and success at the general elections. Also, those backing Obanikoro are not leaving any stone unturned to get the ticket.

    Prominent PDP leaders backing Agbaje include Chief Olabode George and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, the former Minister of Works. George has fired salvos at Obanikoro, saying that he joined the race to cause trouble. He said it was curious that he resigned as a minister, few months after he was appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan. George also said that Obanikoro was peddling falsehood, clarifying that he has not been endorsed by the President. In his view, Obanikoro’s candidacy may dent the image of the party before Lagosians.

    The bitter struggle underscores the personality crisis and ego war between George and Obanikoro. At the weekend, the former High Commissioner to Ghana returned the torrent of missiles from George. He said the retired naval officer and former military governor of Ondo State is his rival at the primaries, and not Agbaje, who he described as a foreigner in the chapter. He boasted that he will win the primaries without George’s support.  His supporters said that it is a not an empty boasting, recalling that he Obanikoro beat George’s candidate, Mrs. Hilda Williams, at the 2007 primaries.

    A party chieftian hinted at the weekend that Lagos PDP is in trouble again. Reflecting on the division, he said the party would be weakened by the escalation of crisis, ahead of the general elections. “If Agbaje wins, the supporters of Obanikoro will not support him because reconciliation is always difficult in this party. Also, if Obanikoro becomes the candidate, with what is happening now, George and his group will not support him. Is the party not jinxed? That is the situation now.”

    But, Ogunlewe, who is backing Agbaje, disagreed. He said while the shadow election is the internal affairs of the PDP, Lagosians will determine the fate of candidates at the general elections. The former minister said there is no way Lagosians will prefer Obanikoro to the All progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, who he described as a reputable chartered accountant and financial expert.

    Ogunlewe added: “A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is leaving the position now. Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun is a chartered accountant and a financial expert. Mimiko is a medical doctor. Ajimobi has profile. Where is Obanikoro coming from? Is he electable? The question is which type of governor do you want? In 2015, people will vote for personality, not party.”

    Obanikoro has been described as the most formidable aspirant. Politically, he is also the most experienced politician in the fold, having served as the Chairman of Lagos City Council, Vice Chairman of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, senator between 2003 and 2007, High Commissioner to Ghana and Chairman of the National Industrial Training Fund. In 2007, he was the governorship candidate. Many believe that  strong Obanikoro has a structure and resources to fund campaigns and run for the election.

    However, Agbaje is not a push over. The Afenifere chieftain is a credible politician. He is loved by many people. In 2007, he was one of the aggrieved aspirants who defected from the Alliance for Democracy (AD), following the primaries that threw up Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) as the candidate. As the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), he did not make much impact during the election. Agbaje is rich. He also has a network of friends ready to support his bid. But, his strength lies in his integrity and credibility. Lamenting his defection to the PDP, a chieftain of the APC said: “Agbaje has been around for a long time. He was there when the PDP was described as the nest of killers. Can he stand the sight of blood? Can he handle gun? Can he wait when he sees cutlass and broken bottles at campaigns? That is why I said that he has joined a bad company.”

    For 15 years, the Lagos PDP has gazing at the Government House. Its ambition to produce the governor has been aborted by the progressive bloc. In 1999, the PDP candidate, Chief Dapo Sarumi, was defeated by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) flag bearer, Senator Bola Tinubu. In 2003, former Governor Tinubu also defeated the PDP challenger, the late Mr. Funso Williams. In 2007, the PDP candidate, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, lost his deposit. He was defeated by the Action Congress (AC) candidate, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN). Initially, the Williams’ widow, Hilda, was named as the flag bearer, following the primaries at the National Stadium, Surulere. But, based on the strategic advice of a PDP leader, Chief Tony Anenih, the ticket was given to Obanikoro. In 2011, Dr. Ade Dosunmu of the PDP could not make impact. He was also defeated by Fashola.

    Since its inception, the PDP has not known peace. Ahead of the primaries and the general elections, the party is in turmoil. The bickering has led to the defection of many chieftains to the ruling party in the state. The defectors include Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Senator Tony Adefuye, Chief Yomi Finnih, Dr. Aganga-Williams, Chief Demola Seriki and Chief Wale Mogaji. Prominent ACN chieftains, who had earlier defected to the PDP, have also retrace their steps. They include Mr. Tunde Braimoh, Enock Ajiboso, and Dauda Kako-Are ran back to the AC.

    Since the report of the Harmonisation Committee led by Chief Tunde Osunrinde from Ogun State was not implemented, the politics of exclusion permeated the chapter. Osunrinde had recommended the sharing of party officers on equitable basis so that peace could reign. Owing to the non-implementation of the report, other leaders, including Ogunlewe, Mrs. Modupe Sasore, the late Senator Wahab Dosunmu, and other chieftains were working at cross purposes with George.

    In fact, in 2011, many of them perceived Dr. Ade Dosunmu, not as the party candidate, but as George’s candidate. The party went for the election as a divided house. On poll day, it was crushed by the ACN. After the election, PDP leaders started to trade blames. A reconciliation move was mooted by some elders. But, it did not see the light of the day.

    Since last year, some elders have been brainstorming on how to package the party. Ogunlewe said necessity made it compelling to the chapter to do a thorough soul-searching. A team of researcher was sent out to do a pseudo-survey on the prospect of the party in next year’s polls. Its finding showed that the party was rejected in the past because the candidates could not compete favourably with candidates of the AD, AC and ACN. Consequently, a search team was set up to look for a credible candidate. None could be found in the party, as it were. Therefore the party tried to extend its tentacles beyond the fold. Agbaje’s name was suggested. But, some people pointed out that it may be difficult to convince him.

    Ahead of 2007, Agbaje was contacted by George. At that time, Williams had just assassinated. Prof. Wole Soyinka’s description of the PDP as the nest of killers came to his mind. He told George: “ Do you want me dead like Funso Williams?” Also, former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel had beckoned on Agbaje to join the PDP. But, he also refused. Agbaje also refused to return to his former political family. Although he was persuaded to join the ACN in 2011, he rejected the offer of a juicy portfolio.

    When Agbaje eventually accepted to join the party, he joined because he believed that he would be endorsed as a consensus candidate. He met a party in crisis, making it difficult for the party to enlarged its coast.  Crisis resolution in the fold is also defective. Its leader, George, has often come under attack for alleged monopolisation and personalisation of party power. It has also become increasingly difficult for Lagosians to embrace the PDP because the state has been neglected by the PDP Federal Government.

    Sources said that the research team found out that Lagosians were favourably disposed to Agbaje’s candidature. Therefore, he was introduced to the PDP national leadership and members were urged them to work for him. Agbaje gave a condition. He said that he would accept the offer to fly the flag of the party, if peace returns to the party. This necessitated the settlement of the rift between George and Ogunlewe. But, the suspicion and gulf between George and Obanikoro has remained.

    When Obanikoro became minister, many thought that the coast was clear for Agbaje to emerge as the flag bearer. Trouble started when he resigned, after weeks of speculation. Agbaje camp was jittery because it was not indifferent to Obanikoro’s antecedents and past feats. When the Lagos PDP Elders’ Forum tacitly endorsed the pharmacist, Obanikoro replied that it will not work. His associate, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, who has traversed the major parties, spit fire, saying that only Obanikoro can win the poll for the PDP. The former governorship aspirant is supporting Obanikoro, having claimed that he has been edged out from the contest.

    Obanikoro has also accused George of interfering in the congresses. He said the party will insist on free and fair primaries.

    However, the elders’ forum explained at the weekend why Obanikoro cannot win the general election for the PDP. The group described him as a “certified spoiler, twisting and turning in the winds, thrashing about in wild, uncoordinated confusion, frozen in a destructive fixation to weaken our party before he jumps ship.”

    Ogunlewe, who spoke with reporters, said the elders have rejected Obanikoro, adding that he cannot add to the fortune of the PDP. He took exception to Obanikoro’s statement that He is contesting, not against Agbaje, but against George, who is seriously mobilising for him. He said: “George is not an aspirant. Why should Obanikoro say he is contesting against him? George has been supporting the steady rise of Obanikoro, even before he became a minister. The point of departure is that George has said that he had supported him to become minister and he cannot support his governorship bid.

    “There will be a level-playing ground. Whoever wins will be supported by the party. But, why should Obanikoro be fanning the embers of disunity. He was the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee that brought into existence the structure of the party at ward, local government and state levels. What he should do is not to insult the leadership of the party, but to seek the support of the structures. He should be a game player and not  spoiler.”

    Ogunlewe said there is no controversy over Agbaje’s defection to the PDP, adding that he has been cleared to participate at the primaries. He added: “Let him come and beat Agbaje with his certificates, honour and integrity. People will not vote for those who have baggage. We want credible candidates. APC has shown us the way by picking from the East Senatorial District a Christian, a chartered accountant. They have shown us the way. We cannot go below that.

    “The people are already assessing Ambode. In the Lagos PDP, we don’t want those who have age problem, those who have questionable credential. People are still asking this question: how was City Hall burnt? In 2007, Obasanjo said Lagps PDP had picked a candidate and that we should go an sell him. But, he said we should wash him, put grease on his body. Take him to the sun and see whther people will take him from you. In 2015, voters will ask questions. We don’t want to look stupid. We will not return to Babylon.”

  • Twist in Imo governorship poll as Agbaso joins race

    Twist in Imo governorship poll as Agbaso joins race

    There was a twist in the race for Imo State governorship at the weekend, with the entrance of the elder brother of the impeached Deputy Governor, Chief Martins Agbaso, who has dumped his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Agbaso’s intention to contest the governorship election on the PDP platform has altered the party’s calculations ahead of next month’s primaries.

    His return to the PDP, The Nation learnt, was not unconnected with the resolve of the national leadership of the party to field a “strong candidate, who has the capacity to wrest power from Governor Rochas Okorocha.”

    Another reason, which might have influenced the PDP leadership’s decision to draft Agbaso into the race, was the role he played in ousting the PDP administration in 2011 and bringing in an APGA government.

    Speaking at the party’s secretariat when he led thousands of his supporters, including youths, traders, artisans and members of professional bodies to formally declare his interest to join the race, Agbaso, who was received by members of the state executive led by the Chairman, Sir Nnamdi Anyaehie, said he was in the race to deliver Imo from a “clueless administration.”

    He said his return to the PDP family was inspired by President Goodluck Jonathan’s style of leadership and humility, adding that “he is my role model.”

    Agbaso said he got a waiver from the party to compete with other aspirants, noting that PDP would be a better platform to pursue his governorship ambition.

    His words: “I feel PDP is a bigger and better vehicle to pursue my career next year. The man I admire so much, President Jonathan, has inspired me. No matter the provocation, he keeps quiet and strives to achieve. His temperament is what we need now. People have said a lot about him, but he remains focused. I understand his vision. Most visions materialise with time. I joined the PDP to give him my support.” Dismissing the insinuation of his likely emergence as a consensus candidate, Agbaso said he would emerge after a highly competitive primary election.

    He said: “I believe in competition. I have the pedigree to repeat the feat we achieved in 2011 when we defeated the incumbent governor. I did that with APGA, a party I built from nothing to challenge and defeat the ruling party. This strength is what I am bringing to the table.”

    The aspirant said if elected, he would create 250,000 jobs in the first two years, adding that the state’s challenges, such as unemployment, healthcare delivery, education and security could be surmounted with the right leadership.

  • Parties trade words over planned protest against Osun poll’s result

    Parties trade words over planned protest against Osun poll’s result

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State and the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), traded words yesterday over a plot by the latter to sponsor a mass protest to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to denounce the result of August 9, governorship poll won by Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

    APC also alleged that the PDP had concluded arrangements to carry out a sustained mayhem in Osun to make the state ungovernable.

    Its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, who revealed the plan in a statement yesterday, said the state’s “PDP leadership is already arranging for hundreds of youths to be transported to Abuja to protest the victory of Aregbesola in the August 9 governorship election.”

    The party insisted that the PDP had “fashioned an elaborate plan to create mayhem in the state and give the impression of popular displeasure at the outcome of the election.

    “The first phase of this plan is to hire 10 buses that will convey young men and women to Abuja to protest Aregbesola’s victory. The youths are allegedly being motivated with N10 million to participate.

    “This protest will be based on the yet-to-be- substantiated allegation by the PDP that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) colluded with the governor and the APC to rig the August 9 election. The underlying theme of the Abuja protest by the PDP will be that INEC gave the election to the APC to prevent President Goodluck Jonathan from winning the 2015 presidential election. So, the protest will be effectively against the INEC and the APC.”

    But the PDP described the allegation as ridiculous.

    The party Publicity Secretary, Prince Bola Ajao, in a statement yesterday, said the allegation should not be taken seriously.

    “It is unfortunate that they are coming up with this cock and bull story. As a matter of fact, we are civilised people who are always in tandem with due process and rule of law. We are at the election petition tribunal and we are sure that with all the unassailable and incontrovertible evidences on ground, we would retrieve the mandate given to our candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, by the people.”

  • I saw hell on the eve of Osun poll—Isiaka Adeleke

    I saw hell on the eve of Osun poll—Isiaka Adeleke

    The camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was jolted when former Osun State governor, Alhaji Isaka Adeleke, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the recently concluded governorship election in Osun State. Among other issues, he tells PAUL UKPABIO why he took the critical decision that shattered whatever hope the PDP had to snatch the state from the APC.

    I would start by congratulating you on the victory of the APC in the recent governorship election in Osun State. What does it portend for the party?

    I also want to start by congratulating myself and the entire people of Osun State for standing by their votes and democratic principles in spite of all that transpired before the election. It shows that the people of this country still believe in democracy regardless of what others say.

    Now that the APC has won the election in Osun, what role do you think the other political parties have to play in the governance of the state?

    There are still some reasonable people in the other parties, especially the PDP. There are also reasonable people in Labour Party, the breakaway party of the PDP. I must confess to you that most of them will be coming back to the APC. But the leadership of the PDP as constituted in Osun State is very unreasonable. So, I don’t expect anything good from them.

    But there are others like the elder statesman, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, Olu Alibi, Ebenezer Babatope and former woman minister, Erelu Obada; these ones are very reasonable people. They will cooperate with this government because they know that we don’t have any other state than Osun. So whoever is in the saddle is immaterial. The election has been won and lost. To me, there is no victor and there is no vanquished. Everybody should join hands together with the person that won to move the state forward.

    Why did it take you so long to realise that you were in the wrong party?

    I did not say I was in the wrong party. The day I was crossing over, I said the PDP was not yet that bad but the leadership of the party in Osun State was what I could not comprehend. I said we still had nice people in the PDP. I cannot condemn the PDP because I rose on the platform of that party to become a senator and also play different roles as Chairman, Governing Council of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Pro-Chancellor, Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Calabar.

    Having enjoyed all that on the platform of that party, I cannot say now that the party is totally bad. But some individuals that hijacked the leadership of the party in the state are criminals. Honestly, I cannot work with them. If I had remained in that party as a core party man, I would be forced to work for them and for the success of that party, and I don’t want criminals again in Government House at all.

    Some people insinuated that you were bought over by the APC?

    There was nothing like that. My defection was based purely on principle. If I wanted anything, I could as well have got it while in the PDP. If I had stayed with the PDP, with those people that have hijacked the party in the state, definitely, they would have won and I’ll become this and that. We don’t want such characters in Government House. I am satisfied. I worked relentlessly and tirelessly for the success of the party and ensured that those individuals did not get to the Government House.

    We also learnt that your constituency voted massively. What do you think they deserve for their effort?

    That was not the first time Ede people would vote very well. And when you talk about my constituency, it is not limited to Ede people. The federal constituency consists of four local government areas which are solidly behind me in every election. That was not the first time. My journey into politics started way back in the late 80s and early 90s and they have been supportive and I have been giving back too. That is why any time I say let’s move, they move with me. We moved from APP to PDP and then to APC. If election comes tomorrow, we are going to sweep the whole thing.

    I have always tried to give back to them; not only my constituency but the whole state. I have done a lot in terms of scholarship, empowerment, employment, establishment of factories where people are gainfully employed. And now, we have Adeleke University. A lot of people are working there. We have established banks, First Merchant Bank, which became Unity Bank, and so on and so forth. We are doing a lot for the people in the area because of the support they are giving us. As we give, they give back.

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola is in for a second term. What are your expectations?

    I describe Aregbesola as a man in a hurry to develop Osun State. He was doing a lot in terms of infrastructure and that was what we needed. But Osun is not Lagos. If you are doing that in Lagos, everybody will be happy because nobody cares about any other thing than provision of good roads, electricity, water, security and an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. That is Lagos. But in an agrarian places like Osun and Ekiti, if you are doing that without looking at the human development angle, they will say you have not done anything. They won’t even see what you have done. So, we have to do this, to support him to finish up what he has started.

    When he started, the revenue base was so high. He had a lot of money to play with. That was why he embarked on all those projects. The roads and the schools he built were so fantastic. They were designed like elementary schools in the U.S. When we were in college there, everything was enclosed; all the facilities were there. He has provided school buses. They have lunch out there in the school and they don’t have to go out. That is fantastic. If he can complete that throughout the state, he will be one of the primus inter pares of such in the country. So, we have to give him that support and I know very well he will do it.

    Are you content with being a kingmaker or you still intend to contest political positions in the future?

    I am still going to run for an office in 2015. But that will be at the federal level. I have always said I would love to go back to the Senate. I enjoyed the Senate and I will love to go back there to help in making laws.

    How do you think the Senate has fared?

    We are growing with time. Right now, I have a lot of bills that are hanging because I didn’t go back. There are certain bills I wanted to introduce. I am a criminologist. I have a master’s degree in Criminal Justice and there are certain bills I will be introducing to the country to improve on the criminal justice continuum. I introduced the issue of plea bargaining, but a lot of people don’t understand what plea bargaining is. It wasn’t that anybody that steals money would have to plea bargain. Plea bargaining is a tool that we use to detect crime and nip that crime in the bud.

    For example, if three of you conspired to commit a crime and one of you is caught and is told that this crime you have committed, if convicted, you are going to jail for 10 years. But if you plea bargain and you let us get the other two, we can sentence you to two years. That is plea bargaining. You do that in court. It makes you to detect the crime, arrest the criminals and all that. Those are the issues of plea bargaining.

    We also have what is called probation. Our prisons are congested. Our criminal justice system is punitive rather than correctional. It is not every crime that you sentence people to prison. Sometimes, you give them a suspended sentence. Put them on probation for certain crimes. That is what probation is. Let them serve the sentence within the community. They do community service. If you put everybody in the prisons, it criminalises the individuals. There are hardened criminals in there that would teach somebody who ordinarily wouldn’t have been a criminal to become a hardened criminal, especially in an impoverished society like ours.

    Then again, we have what we call ‘parole’, which is where you serve the rest of your sentence within the society. If you are sentenced to a 10-year period, there is something we call good time; one day off upon your good behaviour. It makes that person to be of good behaviour in the prisons. The prison should be a place just like outside the society.

    We have schools. We have had people who obtained Ph.D from the prison walls and they are good people today. So if you behave yourself every day and you are sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, for every day you stay in prison and behave well, they take a day off. At the end of the day, they take off five years or two and a half years during that period.

    We introduced certain reforms in the prison system, like schools where people can teach. You study for bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and so on. Those are some of the bills I want to introduce into the criminal justice system, among many others that are still in the Senate. I want to pursue it when I get there.

    Let us take a look at the militarisation of elections. It happened in Ekiti and Osun states. The APC cried out when it happened in Ekiti and Osun states, but some people believe it helped to make the elections free and fair. What is your take on it?

    What I witnessed in Osun a week to the election was hell. I thought the SSS are a secret service. They are not to be seen. They are supposed to detect crimes and hand over criminals to the police. But these guys have turned themselves into thugs. The first day they came, I saw them with masks, standing atop their vehicles and shooting sporadically in the air to scare people. What was that intended to achieve?

    Then the police were not doing much but the soldiers too joined. We have a barracks in Ede. I was held in solitary confinement after the Tuesday mega rally at Ede a couple of days to the election.

    The soldiers from Ede barracks were very friendly. When we were doing our campaigns within Ede, they were passing peacefully and we were waving at one another. There was no such thing as harassment. I believe they have this special killer squad that came in to harass, intimidate, arrest and kill. I am saying this because I was a victim.

    Although I had heard about it, but a day preceding the election, I moved from my house to my mother’s house because of its proximity to where my voting unit was. At 1.45 am, we were woken from our sleep with sporadic gunshots outside the gate of my mother’s house with shouts of, ‘open the door.’ They were shouting and banging the gate. I was upstairs. I looked through the window and saw hooded men in black dresses. I could see them because there was light. Some of them were in camouflage. I said they could be armed robbers or assassins. Fortunately, I had my security people with me. I now shouted that they should not open the door because we didn’t know who they were. Even if they were policemen, do you execute warrants at 1.45 am for God’s sake?

    There was exchange of gun fire between them and my security men because I didn’t know who they were. After about 30 minutes, they left. The local hunters all converged and I told everyone to remain calm till the morning when we would report the issue at the police station. I called the election DPO because they had transferred so many people. He came to me. I called the DSS guy and he also came. He said they were there and they would protect us till morning. And they did. Till the morning, nothing happened again. I walked to my unit. After accreditation, while waiting to vote, about nine lorry loads of soldiers, SSS men and all kinds of paramilitary agents with AK 47 surrounded the whole place. I knew full well that it was me they were looking for, but I packed my books and walked through them and left. They didn’t see me.

    Why did you think they were after you?

    I don’t know. You should ask Omisore. I am coming to that. I was in the third house upstairs looking at them. They now were asking my friends, ‘Where is Adeleke? The guy answered, ‘I have not seen him since yesterday. I am here just to cast my vote.’ And they said, ‘Your best friend, you have not seen him since yesterday? You are lying.’ They picked him up and threw him in the car. There was somebody who was wearing a hood inside a black van, pointing out the people they would go to. They picked up all my security people. They said, ‘You were the ones shooting at us yesterday.’ We saw an SSS guy slap a uniformed police officer. They took all of them away when they couldn’t see me after about 30 minutes.

    But the people insisted on voting. They queued up and were voting. They didn’t even mind them. A lot of people told me after that incident that some people who had wanted to vote for the PDP resolved to cast their vote for APC because of what happened on that day. That is why I said the people stood by democracy. What is this? Is this how we will continue with voting? This has to stop. They voted APC. Now, when they left the voting place, they carried all those people along with them. They went to my house. When they got to my house, they saw CCTV cameras everywhere and they started breaking them. They were so crazy. All the posters of Aregbesola and the APC outside were torn.

    Meanwhile, the people they had arrested were still in the vehicle with them. Then they banged on the gate but there was nobody because everyone had gone out to vote. The few people remaining might not have heard because the gate to my main house is far. They now scaled the fence, entered the house and opened the gate for others to come in. They got inside and started breaking down doors. The only door they did not break down was that of my bedroom because they didn’t get there.

    I have a friend who came from Ekiti State. The guy is the younger brother to the deputy governor of Ekiti State. Immediately they saw him, they said: “You again here?’ The same squad had arrested him on the day of the Ekiti election and prevented him from voting because he is a younger brother to the deputy governor of Ekiti State. The Major that led them that day was the same person in Osun. He asked him what he was doing in Osun. He replied that he came to visit me. He was told that he could not go and vote because he is not registered in Osun. That was why I said probably the government has a special killer squad.

    They did not stop there. They ransacked everywhere. Unfortunately for them, somebody was working on the CCTV. I could have recorded everything but it wasn’t on. They left the house and took those people to the SSS office and told everybody to lie down. And do you know what they were telling them? That Jonathan wanted something and one stupid Adeleke was telling them not to do it. Who is he? How much does he have? They said that they were given N200 million to waste anybody they could waste. I won’t give you their names now because I am going to go to court. They included a Major, a Brigadier-General and a Captain. The Captain was the only one who did not have a name tag. In the course of the situation, they said a call came in and the Brigadier General said, ‘Otunba, Otunba, we could not get him.’

    Who is Otunba? These are criminals. If you didn’t see it when they pointed a gun at me when I was in the PDP, what about this one? Honestly, it is becoming frightening and very dangerous. I have written a petition. I am waiting to see if President Goodluck Jonathan is going to institute a probe about all these things because I want to believe that he doesn’t know about it. It is very likely that these people are doing this behind his back. It is very likely that these people are not sent by government, because if the government sent people to maintain the peace, why arrest people indiscriminately? I was told that about 300 people have been clamped in detention at the SSS office in Osogbo, all from Ede Local Government. I also learnt that they were brought there in the vehicle of the deputy candidate of the PDP by his driver. All they needed to do was point at you and they would pick you up.

    How long are we going to continue like that? This is a new dimension to it. If it is not stopped, any election that is coming up, people will employ self-help. If they decide to be lawless, people will decide to be lawless too. I want to believe that Jonathan is not aware of it, and I want to appeal that they should institute a high probe panel to investigate all these things and whoever is involved should be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

    There are reports to the effect that Omisore has not conceded victory to the APC, even though the PDP has reacted differently…

    Omisore has the right to challenge the result of the election if he so desires. But it is my hope that all the materials used for the election would be kept and not tampered with, because they can go to any length to tamper with the result of the election because they tried it. I know full well from my own account. That was why the announcement of the results from Ife area was delayed. We won in two of those areas but they went and tampered with the results. But then, they couldn’t go more than were accredited. So, they couldn’t go further. We still won with about a hundred and something thousand. I know we defeated them but I don’t know what the margin is. We will make sure that all the electoral materials are kept.

    What was your relationship with Omisore like before you defected to APC?

    When we were in the Senate, my relationship with Omisore was cordial. He wanted to be governor and I wanted to go back to the Senate. I wasn’t supporting him. I told him that I could not support him. I know him. I was supporting some other persons and they were holding meetings in my house, and he knew it. He even came to beg me at a time but I said, ‘Young man, I am sorry.’

    You don’t look your age at all. What has been the secret?

    I will be 60 in a couple of months. I play tennis and I exercise a lot. These are good for me.

    What do you foresee about 2015?

    I want to see an internal democracy that would be acceptable to all at least to start from 2015. The PDP, in the Electoral Act as amended in 2010, states that there are only two ways by which you can conduct primaries, direct and indirect. I believe the PDP conducted their primaries indirectly. By that, they used delegates. But direct primaries is where all card carrying members of the party vote for a candidate of their choice in the primary election. Any one you take is okay as long as it falls within the ambit of the law. I want to see that happen rather than consensus. Even if it is by consensus, it must be by everybody. If one person says no, there is no more a consensus amongst the contestants. I want to see the elections free fair and to a large extent credible.

    The election in Osun, to a large extent, was very free and fair. But can we say it was credible? It wasn’t credible because the processes leading to that election were fraught with irregularities by the military. A lot of people were scared. A lot of people were disenfranchised, arrested, humiliated, and so on. If we remove that, what transpired on the election day could be described as very peaceful, free and fair.

    So, it will be good if we can prevent soldiers from usurping the duties of the police. A soldier is not even supposed to be seen on the road. When we were growing up, we were not seeing soldiers. Today, soldiers are everywhere. Instead of going to Chibok, they are roaming around, harassing people on election day. The SSS are not supposed to be seen, but today they are wearing uniform and mask. How can you go to peoples’ homes at 2 am, shooting in the air and expecting the person to keep quiet, and you come over to take that person to do whatever you want? If they are going to execute a warrant, no magistrate will issue a warrant after 6 pm.

    Once it is dark, you cannot execute a warrant even if it is for a criminal. As a criminologist, I am aware of situations where you don’t need a warrant to arrest or search anywhere. We call it warrantless searches and seizures, such as during hot pursuit. You are in a car and a peace officer has every reasonable cause to believe that criminal activities are afoot, he can pursue and arrest you without warrant. When he has every cause to believe that the evidence he is seeking in your house may be tainted, maybe you can flush it or something like that, among others.

    But when you are coming for an individual, you want to come and search his house, there is no way they will remove things that you will not know. All you need to do is to take the place out; if it is at night, put the paper on the ground, go for a warrant and move in the morning to execute your warrant. But people coming at night in black hoods? Anybody can wear a camouflage or put DSS badge and come in to do all kind of things. They could be assassins. They could be armed robbers. These are areas I see and pray that we should remove from electioneering. I’m not saying we should not bring security people, but we don’t need soldiers.

  • APC candidate set for supplementary poll

    APC candidate set for supplementary poll

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the inconclusive Niger East by-election held on Saturday, David Umaru, said yesterday that he was set for the supplementary election.

    He spoke at a post-election news conference at the party secretariat in Minna.

    Umaru, a lawyer, said he was shocked by the alleged malpractices, which characterised the election.

    The APC candidate appealed to his supporters and members to remain calm.

    He said the outcome of the poll would not deter his conviction and faith in democracy.

    Said he: “We are committed to the journey in search of the truth. The unfortunate incident cannot make us to relent. We and the party are committed to putting up a good fight. We will take part in the supplementary election on Saturday and victory shall be ours at the end of the day.”

    Umaru decried the electoral malpractices during the by-election, which he said took the state back to the dark days.

    “I was hopeful of a flawless exercise at the beginning, but as the day went on, events turned sour as we began to witness the ugly incidents of the past.”

    He urged his supporters not to be disappointed, as he was sure of victory in the supplementary election.

  • Dissecting figures from Osun poll

    Dissecting figures from Osun poll

    One week after the all-important governorship election in Osun State, the tension it generated has sufficiently cooled down to allow a sober look at the result. While the All Progressives Congress candidate, the incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola, polled 394,684 votes, his main challenger, Iyiola Omisore, obtained 292,431 votes. By the result, the governor was empowered to continue in office for another four years. The APC faithful have been celebrating since, while the Peoples Democratic Party that fielded Omisore could not believe that the federal might could ever fail to deliver as it did on August 9.

    But, through the figures, the people of Osun said a lot that have not been reported. Let me first declare here that I am not looking beyond the figures. This is not to say that there is no truth in the contention that a lot might have gone wrong.

    First, the general principles. Aregbesola won in 22 local government areas, while Omisore made the mark in eight. Both candidates made more than the mandatory 25 per cent in the 30 local government areas and, by that, the spread factor counted for nothing. In every election, candidates usually have their strongholds. Aregbesola’s were Ilesa East and West LGAs, Osogbo and Olorunda, as well as Irewole and Olaoluwa. Being evenly distributed among the three Senatorial districts, it was a vindication of the pre-election APC claim to state-wide popularity.

    On the other hand, Ife Central, South and East LGAs rallied round their son, Omisore. Outside the three, the PDP standard bearer failed to make sufficient impact elsewhere. In my view, a candidate could claim anywhere he records two-thirds of the votes as his stronghold. But, a candidate could record clear victory in an area where it led his main opponent with more than 20 per cent of the votes, but below the two-third mark. The APC thus had clear victory in  Irepodun, Ifelodun, Ede South, Obokun, Egbedore, Ila, Ejigbo, Boripe and Atakumosa East. The PDP did not record such a feat outside the Ife enclave.

    The marginal fields where neither party recorded up to 10 per cent lead over the other were Boluwaduro, Ifedayo, Odo Otin, Orolu, Oriade, Atakumosa West, Ife North, Ayedire, Isokan Ayedaade and Ede North. Of particular note are Ayedire where the PDP led with only 89 votes, Boluwaduro where the party led with a meager 144 and Ifedayo where it won with 243 votes. In reality, these are, therefore swing LGAs.

    Further, the results show that Omisore polled 73,038 votes in the four Ife LGAs, about double APC’s 39,419. The PDP candidate’s Ife votes represent about 25 per cent of the total votes for the party. Similarly, the APC candidate recorded 71,477 of the 113,106 votes from the six Ijesa LGAs. Both candidates recorded more than 35 per cent of the votes cast in the stronghold of the other.

    The import of the electorate’s decision is that the people of Osun are not particularly averse to any party or candidate and ideological stance may not count for much in elections held in the state in the near future, particularly next year.

    It might be wrong to come to the conclusion that the 2015 elections would follow similar pattern in the 30 LGAs. First, variables could have changed, especially as determinants of voting pattern in local, state and presidential elections are never the same.

    However, it means that the candidates for the various offices would play major roles in determining voter behaviour. Where identification with parties and ideology is very strong, choice of candidates might not count for much, but in a state where the people do not care much about that factor; it might be the most important factor.

    Second, the part played by some defectors from the PDP to the APC just before the election could have contributed to the spread of the party’s vote. This implies that the party needs stability of its structure to hold on to the lever of power. How it manages the primaries to pick candidates for national and state legislative seats could affect its fortunes at the poll. A lot would depend, too, on how well the PDP handles the internal dynamics, first, in holding the party together in the face of the defeat just recorded, and two, satisfying the yearnings of the party members when the time comes to decide those to fly its flag next year.

    The heavy role played by financial inducement in the election is an indication that every candidate for the next elections should be prepared to grease palms. It is an indication that the clamour for “stomach infrastructure” might not, after all, be limited to Ekiti State. It is also a pointer to the continued relevance of godfathers in Nigerian politics.

    In view of the results of the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, there is a need for scholars of Political Science and Political Sociology to come up with authoritative studies on the changing dynamics of politics, especially in the old Western Region. It will equally be useful to authoritatively determine the part played by federal might in the conduct and outcome of elections in this part of the world.

    Certainly, the last has not been heard of the Osun elections.

  • Aregbesola decries militarisation of poll

    Aregbesola decries militarisation of poll

    •EU urges governor to seek legal option

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has condemned the militarisation of last Saturday’s election.

    He decried the show of “brute force” by security agents deployed in the state by the Federal Government.

    Aregbesola spoke at the Government House in Osogbo, the state capital, while hosting the European Union Election Monitoring Group.

    He said voting is a minute aspect of a democracy and should not be backed by force, so that people can freely choose their leaders.

    Aregbesola condemned the “commando-like manner” hooded security men operated on the streets and the “unwarranted” arrests of All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains.

    He said: “Our victory did not come because the federal authority designed it so, but because we were favoured by the people as the best party that can serve them better.

    “Or how do you rationalise the presence of strangers (security personnel), people I cannot control, who took over the administration of the security of my state with impunity, which adversely affected life in the state?

    “It is humiliating, worse sort of what a unit of government like ours should suffer. There was a deliberate attempt to muzzle the people’s voice.

    “By now we should know that voting is just a routine aspect of democracy and, even at that, the people must not be denied their freedom to choose their leader freely.

    “We must prevent the Federal Government from the recurring culture of arbitrarily invading the territory of a unit within the federal structure. This is an abuse of power.”

    The European Union Election Monitoring Group advised Aregbesola to address his complaints legally.

    The group’s coordinator, Paul Edwards, said strict adherence to the rule of law was the best way to deepen democracy in Nigeria.

    Edward said: “We are here to congratulate you on your victory in Saturday’s election. Besides, our mission here is also to find out from you about the conduct of the election. We have observed the election across the state and have our reports.

    “In any election, there are bound to be issues. But it is our opinion that whatever the complaint you have, you should choose the legal option to seek remedy.

    “Let us rely on the instrumentality of the law to purse whatever anomaly or violation of rights we have suffered. Let us always use the legal method to stop the impunity used by one unit of government against the other. It is through this option that we can deepen democratic institutions wherever it is practised in the world. If you send your complaints to the EU, we shall take note of it and act accordingly within the framework of the law.”

    Aregbesola hailed the group’s commitment to the development of democracy in Nigeria.

  • Falana decries militarisation of poll

    Falana decries militarisation of poll

    Lagos lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has urged Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola to ensure that those who infringed on the fundamental rights of residents during Saturday’s election are brought to book.

    Congratulating the governor on his victory, Falana said the “unprecedented militarisation of the electoral process should not be left unchallenged”, adding: “The brazen impunity that characterised the governorship election in Osun State must stop.”

    In a statement yesterday, he said: “An election that is fully militarised cannot be said to be fair and free. An election in which people were arrested and detained and disenfranchised cannot be said to be credible.

    “Therefore, Aregbesola, as the chief security officer of Osun State, must ensure that those who are responsible for the breaches of several provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended and the infringements of the fundamental rights of innocent people are brought to book.

    “The deployment of 73,000 armed security personnel for the election by President Goodluck Jonathan was a declaration of war on the law abiding citizens of Osun State. More disturbing was the deployment of snipers, who were permitted to wear masks. The criminal elements shot sporadically into the air to intimidate the people.”

  • OSUN POLL:Day of decision

    OSUN POLL:Day of decision

    The people of Osun State are voting today in a make or mar governorship contest that is regarded as a dress rehearsal for the 2015 general elections. The major candidates in this election are not greenhorns in Osun politics. Deputy Political Editor, RAYMOND MORDI, profiles the three front runners.

    ORDINARILY, winning today’s governorship election in Osun State should be a foregone conclusion for incumbent Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC). But with happened in Ekiti State recently where, contrary to expectation, Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged winner, the outcome of the Osun poll cannot be taken for granted. Though 19 candidates are vying for the position, according to a list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), only three of them are considered to be serious contenders.

    They are: Governor Aregbesola, Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Alhaji Fatai Akinbade of the Labour Party (LP). The election is expected to be a straight fight between the incumbent and the PDP flag bearer, with Akinbade trailing behind. INEC had actually cleared 20 candidates for the poll, but Oludare Timothy Akinola and his running mate, Wayilat Titilade Adeleye of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) pulled out of the race voluntarily.

    Taking place at this point in time, the Osun election is significant. As one of the elections regarded as a dress rehearsal for the 2015 general elections, it is an opportunity for the new mega opposition party, the APC, and the ruling PDP at the centre to position themselves in the state and the South-West in general for the decisive battle.

    The Ekiti election, where the PDP bounced back against all odds, has compelled the APC to take another look at the PDP strategy to stage a comeback in the region in 2015. In the run up to this election, the opposition party has been on the defensive; it has been crying out consistently, accusing the PDP of planning to do one thing or the other to snatch victory from the incumbent.

    This is not surprising; elections in Nigeria are usually preceded by intrigues subterfuges intended to mar the processes and influence the outcome. INEC has, however, repeatedly assured Nigerians that the exercise would be free and fair. If such assurances are anything to go by, then the best candidate in the eyes of the electorate would carry the day.

    The major candidates in this election are not greenhorns in Osun politics. All eyes would be on the two front-runners, Aregbesola and Omisore, to see who would eventually triumph. The LP candidate may spring a surprise, but that would be a big upset, if such should be the case. The following profiles may provide a hint about how the people of Osun would vote today.

     

    Rauf Aregbesola

    Based on his antecedents and experience as a politician, Aregbesola, a former student union activist and an engineer by profession, is the best man for the job. He was born on May 25, 1957 at Ilesa, Osun State. Before he contested the Osun governorship election in 2007, Aregbesola had garnered eight years of experience (between 1999 and 2007) as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos, under former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Although the then PDP candidate, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was declared the winner, Aregbesola went to court, to appeal against the decision. After a tortuous trial, he was declared the winner on November 26, 2010.

    Before he assumed office, Aregbesola, an acclaimed grassroots politician, knew what he had to do and he focused on it from day one.

    Today, as he concludes his first term in office, he has turned around the state through his six-point action plan to banish poverty, unemployment, hunger, restore healthy living, enhance of communal peace and progress and promote functional education. Aregbesola is believed to have performed creditably well in the area of road construction. He has also made an appreciable impact through his numerous action programmes such as ‘O’YES, ‘O’ MEAL, ‘O’YESTECH, ‘O’SCHOOL, ‘O’REAP, ‘O’WMA, ‘O’CLEAN and ‘O’MEDIATION.

    In the implementation of his policies, he adopted the mass mobilisation approach. He interacts with the people regularly through a live radio and television programme. The governor also introduced a monthly physical fitness programme, ‘Walk to Live’, where he participates by leading the procession on foot to nooks and crannies of the state. He has undertaken a comprehensive rebranding of the state, and tried to bring back the concept of the omoluabi (integrity) virtue, by instilling the positive attributes of the human spirit that have been associated with the Yoruba of the South-West, among the people of Osun. For the above reasons, he enjoys the support of the people of Osun.

    With the eventual defection of Prince Oyinlola on Tuesday, the APC has also intensified its strategy of trying to mop up support in areas considered to be a stronghold of the PDP. It started with the defection of the first civilian governor of the state, Isiaka Adeleke, and a number of other PDP stalwarts. Though this strategy did not work in Ekiti, Osun might be a different ball game.

    However, the fact that he is confronting a candidate that represents the federal might and who has access to a bigger financial war chest is a big challenge. The Ekiti factor is another challenge. This explains why the APC has raised alarm on issues bordering on the militarisation of the election and the INEC compromising on its role during the exercise.

    Nevertheless, going by a recent survey by TNS-RMS, a member of the Gallup International, Governor Aregbesola seems to be in a better position to win this election. The Lagos-based TNS-RMS said its poll released last week showed that the APC candidate is dominating on all critical indicators. Aregbesola and Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, are the two major contenders among the 19 contestants. According to TNS-RMS poll, the APC dominated “the political landscape” in Osun State based on its performance on all key indicators evaluated. “It scored highest and also increased in rating on first mention, sympathy, and voting intention,” TNS-RMS stated in its final report.

    According to the study, the incumbent governor was the candidate of choice by Osun voters with a 73 per cent lead over other candidates.

    “The incumbent remains the main voting choice. Voting choice for Senator Omisore declined by two per cent and seem not to pose a threat to the incumbent’s chances of re-election as he remains firmly ahead of the race,” the study said. The two-phase survey was conducted over a period that stretched from June into the third week of July 2014, according to TNS-RMS. “Not only is the APC currently the most preferred party in Osun State, it has largely retained this goodwill from way back in the past,” the poll concluded.

    Iyiola Omisore

    Despite the soaring popularity of Governor Aregbesola, Omisore seems to be battle ready to slug it out with him, judging from the unfolding scenario in the polity of the state. Having often picked holes in the policies of the APC administration and believing that Osun State electorate are unpredictable, the PDP candidate is banking on using the resources and the reach available to him as the flag bearer of the ruling party at the centre.

    No doubt, Senator Omisore is a controversial figure, but one thing he has going for him is the long years he has waited, preparing to be governor of the state. Born 56 years ago to the popular Omisore family in Ile-Ife, Omisore, a chartered engineer, had served as the Deputy Governor of Osun State during the administration of Chief Bisi Akande.

    Though he was unceremoniously thrown out of office through impeachment, Omisore remains undaunted. He was practically holding in his palm, the PDP gubernatorial ticket in 2010, despite having to contend with about 11 other aspirants, until the judgment by the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, completely altered the political calculations in the state.

    A two-term senator of the federal republic representing Osun East Senatorial District from year 2003 to 2011, Omisore is no stranger to the intrigues associated with party politics. As an evidence of his doggedness in the political arena, he has a solid political structure that has survived many political onslaughts from within his party and from the opposition and this, coupled with his ability to think far ahead and properly situate challenges, proffering lasting solutions to them, makes him a formidable opponent.

    In a smart move to avert the kind of fortune that befell him in 2011, when he lost the senatorial election to the candidate of the ACN, former Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Barrister Jide Omoworare, Omisore has reconciled with Professor Wale Oladipo, the man said to be holding the grassroots for him.

    Besides, as a former ruling party in the state, the PDP has the machinery to swing the voting in its candidate’s favour; the party has structure and members all over the state. The PDP is confident that its candidate would make a good showing today.

    According to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, the PDP has a popular and hardworking candidate with a very strong bond with the people of the state. “Massive acceptance by the voting population, widespread political structure, and a track-record of abiding affinity and loyalty to Osun people,” he noted, will give Omisore victory at the polls.

    Omisore has dubbed his quest to govern the state as a “rescue mission” to bring good governance and pragmatic development to Osun and its citizens. “With my experience as a former deputy governor and a senator for eight years, I believe I am the most suited for the job. The main thrust of my administration’s policy will be on job creation, quality education, human capital development, infrastructure, health, roads, agriculture and commerce,” he added.

    There are, however, several factors that may work against Omisore’s ambition to govern the state. One of such is the lingering, though largely unsubstantiated accusation that the federal might was used to ‘rig’ the Ekiti election, which may backfire and hurt Omisore’s ambition. In addition, Omisore evaded the debate where he would have had the chance to drive home his accusation that Aregbesola has mismanaged the resources of the state. This factor might also dent his image in the eyes of the electorates.

    Fatai Akinbade

    The candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, is another strong candidate that can spring surprises in today’s governorship election. He is an alumnus of the Ibadan Polytechnic, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. A native of Ogbaagba, the longest serving politician among his contenders; he is widely regarded as a “home-grown” politician because he has been involved in the administration of the state under different governments since the creation of the state.

    Akinbade will be depending on his experience and the goodwill he has garnered over the years to convince the electorate that he is the man for the job. He was the state chairman of the PDP in 2003, when the party defeated the defunct Alliance for Democracy government of Chief Akande. Subsequently, Akinbade emerged as the Secretary to the State Government, when the Prince Oyinlola administration took over.

    During that period, he was reported to have used the office to assist several people; gave contracts freely without asking for returns. He had also served three military administrators in the state as Commissioner for Transport, Lands and Physical Planning.

    The chairman of LP in the state, Tunde Olatunji, said: “To the glory of God and because of the kind of person we have as our candidate, he is a sellable candidate; his name is a house hold one within the state because he has been in politics for over 20 years and he has been with the people since then. He has been part and parcel of government and governance in Osun State, even when he was out of government.”

    Akinbade is from Ogbaagba, one of the towns in Iwo land in West senatorial district.

    But Akinbade does not appear to enjoy the support of some LP members in the state. A factional chairman of the party in the state, Rufus Oyatoro, has declared that Akinbade is not a candidate of the party for today’s election. “The only structure that could have raised up his hand for his candidature is mine and he Akinbade is not a registered member of Labour Party,” Oyatoro claimed.