…Says Accord Votes Were Counted For APC
The candidate of the Accord Party in the just concluded Ekiti State gubernatorial election has described what happened in Ekiti State as a disgrace and sham, tagging it a “buy and sell” enterprise, where the party with the deepest pocket carried the day.
He also lamented that Accord Party votes were counted for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the election, because electoral officers erroneously believed that the ‘A’ which was used to represent Accord on the ballot was for the APC.
Speaking on an AriseTV interview in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, June 19, Basorun Famuyibo categorically stated that he never stepped down for the APC or directed his supporters to vote for the APC, as claimed by APC hack writers.
Insisting that the electoral umpire contravened the Electoral Act (as amended) by not using electronic voting for the Ekiti gubernatorial election, contrary to what they earlier told stakeholders, he carpeted INEC and it’s adhoc staff, for compromising; and the security agencies for their culpability in the vote-buying exercise embarked upon by the leading political parties, the APC; the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; the Social Democratic Party, SDP and even the Action Democratic Party, ADP.
He said, “When I was told to bring money to induce voters, I bluntly rejected the suggestion. In the first place, I don’t have that kind of money and secondly, it is contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act, (as amended).
“Again, would you blame the people? The present administration has subjected to abject poverty to the extent that some people were ready to sell their votes for as low as N2,000 just to keep body and soul together. APC paid as much as N20,000 per vote in that election.
“What took place in Ekiti yesterday was nothing but a charade, a caricature of an election. It was just like carrying your money to ‘Jankara’ market to buy goods and at the end of the day, you go home with what you purchased.”
He added that even in his family compound, the head of the family, Chief Sasere of Ado-Ekiti, Chief Segun Famuagun, superinteded over the distribution of cash for votes in his palace.
He said, “I seized wads of N1,000 notes from APC agents, but an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, (names withheld) ordered him to release the seized cash.
He alleged that INEC staff, security agents, adhoc staff and others were all compromised, thus rendering the exercise a farce!
He added, “If what happened in Ekiti yesterday is allowed to stand, then we are finished as a country. Where are we actually heading to as a country?
“APC candidate is a former Secretary to the State Government, SSG, where did he get the N22.5 millions to buy the nomination form? Where did he get the money to buy votes? Yet, Ekiti workers are being owed seven, eight months salaries; pensioners are being owed their gratuities and pensions, running to billions of naira. Nigeria is finished.”
He continued, “INEC told us they were using electronic voting; they never told us when they decided to reverb to manual voting. The electronic voting machines were brought to Ekiti, but INEC, for reasons best known to it, which has now manifested, refused to tow that path of honour.
When asked his assessment of the Ekiti election, Famuyibo said, “Ekiti State 2022 gubernatorial election is the worst in the annals of election in Nigeria.”
