A former Senate Deputy Chief Whip and a Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship aspirant , Senator Gbenga Aluko, has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to devise ways of blocking any fraud that could mar the conduct of the election to prevent post election crisis as witnessed in the 2007 and 2009 Rerun elections in the State.
Aluko said a shammed election in June 21 poll, would not only portrayed the state in bad light and would also affect the credibility of the electoral body.
Aluko, who represented Ekiti South Senatorial District between 1999 and 2003, also advised the PDP National Executive Committee, led by Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, to ensure that only candidates with unblemished records emerge in the PDP, to confront the All Progressive Congress in the poll.
He made the appeal on Friday in Abuja after collecting the governorship nomination form at the Wadata Plaza, PDP Headquarters, in the Federal Capital Territory.
He warned that fielding candidate with past records of corruption and other criminal records may slim the PDP chances of winning the election.
He lamented that elections, since independence, had been the source of the country’s undoing, having resulted in killings and arsons due to outcries about rigging.
He said the 2014 governorship poll presents a veritable avenue to get prepared ahead for the 2015 general elections “that would advance the transformation phase being pioneered by President Goodluck Jonathan”.
“Elections in advanced countries are means through which they become more invigorated, more progressive and more alert to their responsibilities,” he said.
“But regrettably, in Nigeria, elections have always been the source of our woes, because of the ways they were being mishandled.
“The 2014 election in Ekiti State must be free, fair, credible and acceptable to all players. INEC which take the blame for whatever mistake committed must devise means to curb the excesses of poll riggers from all sides,” he added.
