The Special Adviser to Ondo state governor on Rural and Community Development, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, has expressed reservation over attempted malpractice allegedly perpetrated by members of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the just concluded gubernatorial election.
Kolawole who described the politicians involved as overzealous, noted that the act was aimed at submerging the will of the good people of Akoko south east, most especially Ifira Akoko.
The Aide to Governor Akeredolu made this known today, in an interview with our correspondent.
According to him, he said, “As at the time voting was completed at ZI and CAC primary school Ifira, one of the agents of INEC was said to have gave a marching order that the ballot boxes should be moved to Ipesi Akoko.
According to an eyewitness, they were said to have changed the ward collation centre of Ifira Akoko to Ipesi Akoko to perpetrate their shenanigans.
It was reliably gathered by our correspondent that from immemorial, the collation Centre for Ward 3, Ifira Akoko is CAC, Ifira Akoko.
Kolawole who is a former member of house of representatives, immediately took precipitated action by thwarting the plot with the aide of security operatives.
“On the election day, I received a distress call from one of our party members who gave us the hint that some officials with fully armed police policemen have moved the ballot boxes to Ipesi with an hilux vehicle”
“Instantly, I took virtually all my vehicles, along side with some party faithfuls, and we accosted them on their way to Ipesi, claiming that collation Centre have been moved to Ipesi”
“They were on the brink of carting away our votes, but I resisted the day light robbery, and we moved all boxes down to INEC recognized collation Centre”
“It is disheartened because our democracy is going moribund, as the alleged officials with the connivance of fierce looking police men abetted the crime”
“Indeed, there is no way we would survive this political rape if I didn’t stopped them on their way to Ipesi”
He also lamented that some officials of the umpire could easily allow themselves to be used as an agent of compromise, adding that INEC bears the trademark of transparency.
He, however, called on the appropriate authority to investigate the act and bring culpable persons to book.