The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the results of Thursday’s supplementary gubernatorial election in Osun State, describing the polls as the most brazen assault on democracy and biggest robbery ever witnessed in the history of the state.

In a statement issued  in Osogbo on Thursday by the Osun State Chairman of the party, Hon Soji Adagunodo, the PDP said the supplementary election was an open robbery perpetrated by the All Progressive Congress (APC) with the aid of security personnel.

Adagunodo alleged that thousands of eligible voters were chased away from their homes in Orolu, Ife North and Ife South Local Government Areas in the early hours of Thursday.

“Scores of our supporters in those local governments were shot and matchetted on their way to polling centres and in the full glare of security men. Hundreds of people holding PVCs from other polling units were accredited and allowed to vote in Osogbo and Ife South Local Governments.

“PDP agent in Olode was axed and abducted at about 7am today. Media men and election observers were denied access in several polling units. By the time access was granted to journalists at about 11am, ballot boxes had been stuffed by APC agents acting in connivance with INEC officials.


“It is regrettable that election in 7 polling units could not be freely and fairly concluded by the Independent National Electoral commission. We reject any returns of results from this sham and call on the INEC authorities in Abuja to direct that the so called supplementary election result collation be put on hold now.

“We equally invite leaders of thought in Nigeria and the International community to rise up now to rescue Nigeria’s democracy from being ruined.

“We equally call on all members and supporters of our party to resist any attempt to foist a concocted election results on the people of Osun using all legal means at their disposal,” Adagunodo said.

In a related development, the candidate of the PDP in the supplementary polls, Senator Ademola Adeleke also rejected the results of the election even before the official announcement was declared by INEC.

Senator Adeleke announced his rejection of the poll results in a statement issued on his behalf on Thursday by the spokesperson for the Adeleke Campaign Organization, Mr Olawale Rasheed.

Adeleke alleged that many of his supporters were intimidated, harassed and denied access to some of the polling units to cast their votes, vowing to seek legal redress to the injustice in a court of law.

“We report to the whole world the brazen theft and daylight swindling of Osun people who were criminally denied their rights to vote and be voted for by an anti-people conspiracy among INEC, security agencies and the ruling All Progressive Congress. An unprecedented travesty of justice and the shattering of democratic values are ongoing in Osun state.

“The whole world is witnessing a charade in the name of an election, a deliberate effort at the imposition of a discredited leadership on the suffering people of Osun State through undisguised brutal force, applying all standards, today’s supplementary poll is a non-event as all norms of electoral process were violated.

“Voters are deliberately refused access to polling points at gun points. Those allowed to voting centres are forced to vote for APC.PDP party agents are arrested, beaten up and shut out of polling centres.PDP agents are barred from many units. Roads are blocked to stop voters and observers.

“Journalists and election monitors are blocked from accessing many voting areas. Those who attempted gaining access are attacked by hooded thugs.PDP leaders are hounded and arrested. It was a brutal unleashing of force against unarmed election stakeholders,” the statement read.