Adekunle Akinlade, the Ogun Governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has described the outcome of the Thursday primary elections in the State as a ‘shocking charade’ and a show of arrogance.

Akinlade, in a short statement personally signed and circulated Friday morning said the outcome of the primaries is not the end, but an indication that the state urgently needs men of good faith should rescue the state.

Akinlade, the first runner up in the 2019 general elections, was amongst the five other aspirants who were declared to have scored zero votes in the outcome of the election which was held at MKO Abiola stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta.

Others were Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, Biyi Otegbeye, Owodunni Opayemi and Remi Bakare.

According to the election result as announced by the Chairman of the Committee, Wale Ohu, Governor Dapo Abiodun polled a total of 1,168 out of the total 1,170 accredited voters while the remaining two was declared void.

Horizontimes however observed at the voting ground that one vote was announced in favour of Otegbeye from the result of the first local government publicly announced, the only vote was however did not count in the final result.

It was also observed that immediately after the Otegbeye vote, cabinet members were seen consulting with the governor and other top dignitaries within the state box.

After the consultation, counting of votes was taken over by Ogun State government officials who verified all votes from each other local governments before they were announced.

Akinlade in the statement alleged that aspirants were threatened while agents were harassed at the voting ground.

The statement read, “The shocking charade that took place at MKO stadium Abeokuta clearly shows that our State urgently needs men of good faith to stand up and come to her rescue. The show of shame now has no bounds!

“That 5 aspirants in a governorship primary will not score one single vote is not only shameful but shows how arrogant these set of people are. This insulting impunity and arrogance must be curtailed. Aspirants were threatened, their agents harassed and delegates coaxed.

“Please note that yesterday’s APC gubernatorial election results is NOT the end for us! Ogun State is bigger than any party or individual.

“As we prepare for the 29th/30th of May APC presidential primary, I besiege you all to roll up your sleeves because the match to ‘reset Ogun’ begins on the 31st of May 2022.”

Both Abiodun and Otegbeye had rejected the process of the election and the choice of Ohu as the Chairman in a joint press statement released on Thursday. (https://horizontimesng.com/dapo-abiodun-has-hijacked-delegates-list-wale-ohu-not-fit-to-conduct-ogun-primary-akinlade-otegbeye-reject-process/)

Modele-Sharafa had accepted the outcome of the election but also added that the outcome of the election was a validation for the earlier reservations for which four aspirants excluding the Governor and Bakare demanded an indirect primary.

She wrote on her verified twitter handle, “I just received the result of the Ogun State government primary elections in which the incumbent is said to have scored all the 1,169 votes.

“For the records, four other aspirants had written to the party to ask for direct rather than delegate election so the people’s real voices can be heard but the party, in its wisdom decided to conduct indirect primary election.

“While I respect the party’s decision, the process that took place today validates our earlier reservations. That said, I accept the ‘verdict’ and send good wishes to the declared winner, Gov Dapo Abiodun.”