In Lagos, PDP faults inconclusive claim as INEC fixes Ajeromi/Ifelodun re-run

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against the planned supplementary election for the Ajeromi/Ifelodun federal constituency scheduled for April 27.

The INEC had declared the inconclusive over alleged violence during the February 23 election but the opposition PDP said it was averse to the re-run alleging that it is an attempt to subvert the people’s will.

The INEC Returning Officer for the area, Professor Olusoji Ilori, who declared the election inconclusive at a stakeholders meeting organised by INEC, said that the incumbent, Barrister(Hon) Rita Orji, candidate of PDP polled 31, 982 votes while the runner-up, the former Deputy Speaker Lagos state assembly Hon Kolawole Taiwo of the APC scored 28, 758 votes.

Ilori said that the total number of registered voters for the constituency was 379, 676, valid votes, 63, 049, rejected votes, 2855, while the total votes cast was 65, 904.

But in a swift reaction Wednesday, the Director General of the Hon. Rita Orji’s Campaign Organisation Mr Charles Ejimadu, described the process as “unfortunate” saying that the results were altered.

“INEC just cancelled a genuinely won election as we have results of 67 out of the 71 polling units in contention.

“We won in the general election if they have added the results from 67 units a rerun will not arise because we have a clear valid win from our own collation that we have. 

‘When the time comes, we will bring out the fact for the whole world to know that INEC, as it is now, has no credibility,” Ejimadu said noting INEC had chosen to use same result for Presidential and Senatorial elections while leaving out the House of Representatives.

The returning officer said that the total number of registered voters for the constituency was 379, 676, valid votes, 63, 049, rejected votes, 2855, while the total votes cast was 65, 904.

Ilori, who noted that the difference between PDP and APC was 3224, said that the supplementary election became necessary because of the margin of victory between the leading candidate of PDP and the runner up from APC.

The returning officer said that the total registered voters for the affected 71 polling units across eight wards in the constituency, where cancellation occurred remained 43, 660.

Announcing the date of the supplementary poll, Mr Alfred Akpojotor, the INEC electoral officer for the council said that the supplementary poll would hold on April 27 in the affected areas.

According to Akpojotor, the affected areas include, Awodi Ora, Wilma, Mosafejo, Olodi Apapa, Ojo Road, Mosafejo, Temidire II, and Amukoko/Alaba.

He said that the results of the supplementary elections would be added to the already collated results for the winner to emerge.

Also reacting, Hon Fatai Ajidagba, an APC chieftain and the chairman, Ifelodun Local Council Development Area, said the APC would prepare adequately for the supplementary poll and that the party would emerge victorious.

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