Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (SOLAN), Oyo State Action Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate, has reacted to the postponement of the presidential and national assembly poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), earlier slated for today, 16 February, 2019, to 23 February, 2019, and by extension, that of governorship and state assemblies from 2 March, 2019, to 9 March, 2019, describing it as totally uncalled for, a gross advertisement of the commission’s shoddiness, and a tragic national embarrassment.
Lanlehin, in a statement signed by his media aide, ‘Damola Adeoye, “wonders why despite the commission’s humongous budgetary provision of around N143 billion, and almost four years planning window, repeated avowals of preparedness; the latest which was its reception of international observers during the week, the commission, six hours to commencement of poll, called same of, albeit dismissively.”
The statement reads: “Senator Lanlehin is miffed, that the commission held a review meeting midway into an exercise, when it should have done same, days before, to determine its extent and quality of preparedness.
“Who repays the huge amount of money already expended by candidates, political parties, stakeholders like the media, civil society, and other state institutions, and the manpower already deployed?” Lanlehin queried.
While adding that despite INEC’s insistence on hanging the postponement on logistical hitches, he likes to suspect the postponement somewhat gives credence to claims by the opposition that the ruling APC, faced with an imminent defeat, orchestrated the postponement to save face, buy time, and readjust its rigging strategies, insisting that INEC must ensure complete retrieval of all already distributed sensitive materials, as well as its safe return to the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), forthwith.
“The Oyo State ADC governorship candidate wishes to inform the ruling APC that no amount of manipulation can procure victory, as Nigerians in general, and Oyo State people in particular, were fed up with its years of ineptitude, desiring a new direction, which his party, the ADC charts.”
He consequently assured all ADC candidates of his unwavering support, before, during and after next week’s rescheduled election, reminding them that, though the APC may postpone its days of reckoning, the good people of Oyo State will show their true preference for the three ADC senatorial candidates, and fourteen house of representatives’ standard bearers, in just a matter of days.
