Oke, Akeredolu, In War Of Words Over Plans To Rig Ondo Governorship Election
Olusola Oke, the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Ondo state has alleged that the sum of N7 billion has been released to the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, to perfect plans of rigging the November, 26th 2016, governorship election in the state.
Mr. Oke claimed that the money was released to Mr. Akeredolu from a bogus N10 billion infrastructural contract funds penned for the development Owo community in Ondo state.
However, Mr. Akeredolu has described the accusation of Mr. Oke as a cheap blackmail and baseless.
He made the accusation in a statement routed through, Kolawole Olabisi, the head of publicity of his campaign committee, in Akure, the state capital.
Mr. Oke in the statement raised an alarm that the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja has approved a bogus contract for some infrastructures in Owo area the hometown of Akeredolu.
Oke alleged that the contract fund was released without passing through due process adding that a substantial part of the money had already been earmarked to rig the governorship election.
He said the purpose of his alarm was to appeal and call the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the malfeasance being perpetrated by members of his cabinet.
He added that the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is Buhari’s political party, boasted that they would use “federal might” to win the governorship election in the state.
“The APC members in Ondo have been preaching this strange gospel of rigging and we are now amazed by this latest antics to win the election with the award of a strange contract for a whopping N10 billion for Owo community where Akeredolu hails from with a view to releasing a whopping sum of N7 billion to him to make the rigging plan a reality.
“The pertinent question to ask now is that, why a contract in Owo, which has one of the best road networks in Ondo State? Who approved this contract sum and why did it not go through due process such contracts had to go through?
“We want to assure them that the people of Ondo State are watching them and the consequences of rigging election here await perpetrators. Winning election should not be a do-or-die affair.
“We, therefore, called on President Buhari, a noted democrat and a man fabled for his aversion for graft to immediate call to order those attempting to make nonsense his fight against graft and election rigging the order of the day to order as it portends grave danger for the nation. Election must be free and fair and the will of the people must be allowed to prevail”, Mr. Oke said.
The Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate also called on the anti-graft agencies to investigate the activities of the Federal Ministry of Works, Babatunde Fashola in the latest accusation.
Responding, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu described the allegations as cheap blackmail and baseless adding that Oke, a governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) was only looking for ways to discredit the process of the election before its conduct.
Mr. Akeredolu spoke in a rebuttal issued through Soji Alakuro, the Chairman of his Campaign Research and Communication Committee.
Akeredolu who said no amount of blackmail will stop the All Progressives Congress (APC) in winning the November governorship election added Oke was only being afraid of his proven credentials.
He further queried the AD governorship candidate to substantiate where the alleged project would be cited in Owo if he his claims should be hold for the truth.
“Oke is afraid because he believes that his political trick by running to AD to contest cannot change the mind of the electorate, who have made up their minds to vote for APC.
“We also challenge Oke to explain the source of his funds because we are aware of those governors oiling his campaign through their states resources.
“It is unfortunate that Oke, who raised the allegation that 7billion project had been diverted to the campaign of Akeredolu, failed to mention where the project will be cited in Owo and the kind of project that will be executed in that ancient community.
“Oke should be informed that the people of the state are aware his roles during the primary election and will never believe lies being spread by a man, who is desperate to rule the state.
“However, our party is not planning to rig the coming election as you all know that our candidate and party have absolute respect for rule of law”, Akeredolu said.
