By Yinka Kolawole:
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the APC of plotting to attack the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) office in Oshogbo to destroy the BVAS machines used during the July 16, 2022, governorship election.
A statement that was issued in Osogbo at the weekend and signed by the State Caretaker Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, claimed that credible reports at its disposal revealed that the arson attack is to target the strong room where the machines were kept at the Osogbo office of the electoral commission.
Adekunle said: “We have a tip off which we consider to be very credible that the APC has perfected plot to burn down the INEC’s secretariat at Osogbo. We gather specifically that the target is the strong room where the machines are kept as well as the ICT section of the commission.
“We are urging the management of INEC to strengthen security protection for its state office. This threats should not be taken lightly especially after the open declaration of insurgency on the state by Mr. Famodun.”
He alleged that the APC is desperate to get rid of any likelihood of admissibility of the BVAS machines during ongoing hearing of the governorship petition at Osogbo, hence the alleged plot said to have reached its advanced stage.
The statement further provided insight into the petition of the APC to relocate the tribunal sitting to Abuja, noting that “the ruling party is scared of the expected ease of verification and consequent invalidation of its claim of over-voting if the tribunal sittings continue in Osogbo.
“We have credible reports that the APC is working to frustrate further sittings in Osun State to hamper the transparency of reviewing the data on the BVAS machines. As the machines are here in Osun State, verification will be easily handled without logistics constraints and without exposure of the machines to tampering and physical dismemberment.
“To effect its manipulation plan, APC has concluded that further sittings in Osun be halted especially if the claim of over-voting is to be sustained. As the false claim cannot be sustained without tampering with the BVAS machine, the APC is perfecting plan that will expose the machines to doctoring during movement and relocation.
“Our reports further showed that Governor Oyetola and his team are eyeing a likely scenario that will outrightly prevent the electoral commission from actually producing the electoral machines in court. This is to then change the proceedings from actual physical verification to mere technical consideration of the veracity of results print out.”
The PDP asserted that the BVAS machines remained the most credible tools for result verification. Due to their huge numbers and sensitivity of their content, moving them around especially to Abuja poses serious risk of compromise. Bringing them to the tribunal at Osogbo is the best route to facilitating speedy, just and fair hearing of the petition before the Justice Kume led tribunal.
While reaffirming his party’s opposition to relocation of the tribunal to Abuja, the Osun State Chairman of PDP stated that the ruling party is searching for evidence to convince the Court of Appeal to approve the relocation, hence the false security reports issued from the defeated imagination of Mr. Famodun.
“Osun State is fully secured. The tribunal sitting is ongoing without incident. Despite the shamelessness of a state government indicting itself with fake alarm, we reiterate that there is no justification for the push for relocation except the fear of failure of APC’s defective petition,” the statement noted.
“We reaffirm our faith in the judiciary as an impartial arbiter. We trust the integrity of the judiciary. We are thus confident that APC’s plot to misled the judiciary will fail. We also reassure the good people of Osun state that no effort will be spared to protect and retain the mandate democratically conferred on Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Governor Elect of Osun state,” PDP said.
