The Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State has rejected the appointment of Kayode Adebowale as the returning officer for the July 16 election in the state.
The party at a press conference on Monday said it rejected the returning officer who is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan because of his partisanship and affiliation with the ruling All Progressive Congress.
Niyi Owolade, the Chairman, Legal Committee of Senator Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation, said Mr Adebowale was an APC appointee under the John Oyegun-led Council.
“It would therefore be unfair to the mantra of free and fair election for such a figure with close affinity to the APC to be appointed State Returning Officer for the July 16 elections,” he said.
“Prof Adebowale is not just an appointee of Oyegun led Council, he is clearly a member of the inner circle of APC going by his recent activities.”
Mr Owolade further said their rejection of Mr Adebowale was based on the premise that the returning officer has been “part of Ekiti APC campaign on more than five occasions”.
“It is particularly troubling that the Vice Chancellor was part of Ekiti APC campaign on more than five occasions. He was specifically very close to the family of the Ekiti Governor-elect before and during the campaigns.
“We therefore call on the National Chairman of INEC, Prof Mamhood Yakubu to urgently withdraw the appointment of Prof Adebowale and appoint a new neutral Returning Officer for Osun poll. We warn that we will not allow an APC sympathiser to superintend over the Osun election as was the case in 2018.”
Reacting to the claims, the APC Chairman in Osun State, Gboyega Famoodun, described the allegations against the returning officer as baseless.
The chairman, who spoke through his aide, described the PDP’s position as a joke and urged the public to disregard the allegations.
He expressed confidence that Governor Adeboyega Oyetola would be re-elected as the state governor in the July 16 gubernatorial election.
“The PDP’s position is not new. They are used to it,” he said.
“It is an indication that they are not prepared for the governorship election in Osun State as any serious political organisation won’t object to that kind of arrangement. It is like a sinking person desperately looking for a straw to hold on to.
“They should better engage in ventures that will portray them as a serious entity. This their current posture gives them out as jokers. It would be recalled that similar hostility towards the then Osun REC was also displayed by this set of jokers in 2014.
“Also in 2018, the same PDP kicked against the then REC, Mr Segun Agbaje to the extent that the INEC commissioner vowed that he would quit if the then Osun elections were found to be fraudulent. At the end of the day, the Supreme Court vindicated us.”
