Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (SOLAN), Oyo State ADC governorship candidate, has reacted to the postponement of the presidential and national assembly poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), earlier slated for today, 16 February, 2019, to 23 February, 2019, and by extension, that of governorship and state assemblies from 2 March, 2019, to 9 March, 2019.
The gubernatorial
candidate described it as totally uncalled for, a gross advertisement
of the commission’s shoddiness, and a tragic national
embarrassment.
‘Damola Adeoye, Media Assistant to Senator
Lanlehin, iIn a statement made available to InsideOyo.com on Satuday,
said the guber hopeful wonders why despite the commission’s humongous
budgetary provision of around N143 billion, and almost four years
planning window, repeated avowals of preparedness; the latest which
was its reception of international observers during the week, the
commission, six hours to commencement of poll, called same of, albeit
dismissively.
Senator Lanlehin is miffed, that the commission
held a review meeting midway into an exercise, when it should have
done same, days before, to determine its extent and quality of
preparedness.
“Who repays the huge amount of money
already expended by candidates, political parties, stakeholders like
the media, civil society, and other state institutions, and the
manpower already deployed?” Lanlehin queried.
While
adding that despite INEC’s insistence on hanging the postponement on
logistical hitches, he likes to suspect the postponement somewhat
gives credence to claims by the opposition that the ruling APC, faced
with an imminent defeat, orchestrated the postponement to save face,
buy time, and readjust its rigging strategies, insisting that INEC
must ensure complete retrieval of all already distributed sensitive
materials, as well as its safe return to the coffers of the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN), forthwith.
The Oyo State ADC
governorship candidate wishes to inform the ruling APC that no amount
of manipulation can procure victory, as Nigerians in general, and Oyo
State people in particular, were fed up with its years of ineptitude,
desiring a new direction, which his party, the ADC charts.
He
consequently assures all ADC candidates of his unwavering support,
before, during and after next week’s rescheduled election, reminding
them that, though the APC may postpone its days of reckoning, the
good people of Oyo State will show their true preference for the
three ADC senatorial candidates, and fourteen house of
representatives’ standard bearers, in just a matter of days.
