By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Candidate of the ACCORD party in the Saturday, August 16, bye – election for the Ikenne, Remo North and Sagamu Federal Constituency of Ogun State, Hon. Oke Rotimi Michael, has described it as one marred by irregularities, violence, intimidation,
beating, and disenfranchisement across polling units, which he alleged, were perpetrated by loyalists of the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Oke also likened the bye – election to a “horror film.”
The Daily Crucible reports that sporadic gunshots were parts of the negative variables that trailed the bye – election.
The election which commenced amid low turnout and voter apathy among other issues in some polling centres in Ikenne, Sagamu and Remo North Local Government progressed relatively peaceful until noon time when armed hooded hoodlums invaded one of the polling centres – the Wesley Nursery & Primary School Iperu – in Ikenne LGA and disrupted the exercise.
It was learnt that the Wesley Nursery & Primary School polling unit 4, Iperu 3 is the voting centre and one of the strongholds of the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu but he was no where to be found near the centre. He was said to have been placed on house arrest, a development some residents said, paved way for the peace at his polling unit to be upturned by hooded gunmen who stormed the venue, turned it in disarray and allegedly carted away voting materials.
There were also reports of sporadic gunshots in some other places of the federal constituency during the bye – election that began at 8:30am on Saturday and closed at 2:30 same day.
But the ACCORD party candidate, Hon. Oke Rotimi Michael, who scored one vote at governor Dapo Abiodun’s own polling unit, PU: 002, Ward 3, Ita Osanyin, Iperu, Ikenne LGA, described the Saturday bye – election as one marked by “large-scale voter suppression” in a release made available to The Daily Crucible on Sunday.
Lamenting that he was forced to stay away from voting following disturbing reports alleging that the opposition supporters were not safe in many parts of the federal constituency, Oke cautioned that democracy should not be trampled upon, stressing that Ogun deserved better picture of democratic practice.
He alleged that the governor’s boastful statements ahead of the bye – election emboldened supporters of the ruling party “to unleash harassment, beating, and disenfranchisement across polling units.”
He said, “The Remo Federal Constituency Bye-Election in Ogun State was not anything close to being called a free and fair election. What should be a democratic exercise turned out to be what can only be described as a horror film, marred by irregularities, threats, intimidation, and large-scale voter suppression.
“From the outset, the atmosphere of fear was deliberately created. Open recorded statement by Governor Dapo Abiodun, CON, brazenly boasting to be the state’s chief security officer, threatening fire and brimstone, seemed to have encouraged APC loyalists to unleash harassment, beating, and disenfranchisement across polling units. The elderly and eligible voters looked on in impotency while democracy was being trampled upon.
“As the ACCORD Party Candidate, I, Hon. Oke Rotimi Michael, was forced to stay away from voting myself after disturbing reports confirmed that opposition supporters were not safe in many parts of the area. Violence and intimidation took over the people’s right to make a choice, and the entire exercise became a sad mockery of democracy.
“Yet, amidst the doom, there was a silver lining that gladdened my heart. In the governor’s own polling unit, PU: 002, Ward 3, Ita Osanyin, Iperu, Ikenne LGA, where APC scored 157 votes and PDP scored 39, ACCORD stood tall with a record one (1) vote.
“That one vote is not just numbers; it is a symbol of courage, defiance, and hope. There was no other party besides APC and PDP that made any appearance in that unit. But ACCORD did, and history has it forever documented. I do not know the man or woman who boldly cast that vote for me, but I say, God bless you richly. You were a single voice of dissent in the governor’s own backyard.
“This election has proved that democracy in Ogun State is under siege. But it has also proved that even in the darkest hour, there are still citizens of courage who will not be intimidated. That one vote in Ita Osanyin tells us that Ogun people are yearning for change, and no amount of intimidation can ever completely silence their voice.
“Our democracy cannot be trampled upon. Ogun deserves better.”
