ward in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mr. Afolabi Olawole, has rejected the victory attributed to him following the recent rerun election held in the local government last Saturday.
He was declared the winner of the ward election by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission in Saturday's rerun election. He stunned his party, the PDP, and the public, when he declared that he did not win in the election.
According to him, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Adefioye Kayode, won the election. He spoke during the APC's media briefing in Offa on Wednesday. He said he rejected his victory, as announced by KWASIEC based on what he described as his religious belief, "which forbids cheating."
He added that his stance was also to ensure that his community did not witness violence and retrogression. He said he was not influenced by anybody. Olawole said, "In all the eight polling units in my ward (Shawo South West) the PDP lost, while the APC won convincingly in all the polling units in the rerun election held on August 31, 2013.
As a citizen of this great town, Offa, I know so well that the town stands for equity and justice. "To me, I know that we shall give an account of all our acts on this earth one day. On that day, there will be no influence from anybody; be it Oba, governor, leader, elder, father or mother: but you will be left alone with your deeds. In this wise, I have resolved not be a partaker in getting what is not mine from anybody at all in Offa and in Nigeria as a whole.
As a native of this town, I don't wish my town bad fate. "If something like this continues to happen and we decide to cover it up for one reason or the other; if not now in future, we will account for it. It is very good for us to call a spade a spade anywhere we see it." He added, "In the interest of peace and justice in Offa and Kwara State, KWASIEC should release the authentic results of the last Saturday council poll in Offa.
The people of Offa have said that they don't want the PDP. It is clear that Offa people want the APC. It is clear also that Offa people don't want the PDP." Also one of the presiding officers, Mr. Oyetunji Akin, said the APC won in the councillorship and chairmanship elections in Shaw Central ward, where he presided. But KWASIEC had announced that PDP won the ward. APC's chairmanship candidate in the Offa rerun election, Mr. Saheed Popoola, called on President Goodluck Jonathan, the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jegga, and all other well meaning Nigerians, to intervene.
He, however, the APC would adopt mature, peaceful and legal approaches, adding that his party had also petitioned INEC against KWASIEC. However, Offa PDP Chairman, Goke Rabiu, claimed that Olawole had been dropped as the PDP councillorship candidate before the election. He alleged that Oluwole was dropped because he was not part of those who secured a court judgement for a rerun. "In fact, he has since joined the APC and was part of their pre-election rally," Rabiu said.
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