The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the just-concluded Ekiti governorship election, Segun Oni, has rejected the outcome of the poll.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Biodun Oyebanji emerged the winner with187,057 votes to defeat his main challenger Oni who polled 82, 209.
Oni described the results of the poll declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a charade that does not reflect the popular wishes and aspirations of the people.
The SDP governorship candidate, who spoke through the party’s agent and former Attorney-General, Barrister Owonseni Ajayi, lamented that the poll was riddled with irregularities and voter inducement.
He stated the election was nothing but a fraud against the Ekiti people, claiming that those who wanted to vote for him across the 2,445 voting centres were harassed and intimidated to clear the way for the purported emergence of the unpopular candidate.
Oni vowed to challenge the outcome of the election in court, saying the results announced by INEC were unacceptable to him and the leadership of the SDP.
Ajayi, who refused to sign the election final results at the INEC State collation centre, said: “We are rejecting the results because the election was characterised by violence and intimidation of voters and as a result.”
When asked if the outcome of the poll will be challenged in Court, Oni said: “we will definitely challenge the outcome of these results in the court of law for posterity and for the generation coming to know that when conducting elections, you must follow the rules and procedures.”
But the second runners up and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the governorship poll Otunba Bisi Kolawole conceded defeat and congratulated Oyebanji on his emergence.