The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday protested at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, amidst gunshots from security agents.
The governorship candidate of the PDP in the Saturday’s gubernatorial election, Ladi Adebutu, had led the protesters to the INEC office in Magbon area of Abeokuta.
They were at the INEC office to submit a petition, demanding re-run elections at the polling units where elections were cancelled on Saturday.
But, the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the governorship election was won by the party free and fair.
The PDP protesters, who were chanting anti-INEC songs were denied access into the office of the commission by heavily armed security operatives.
The security operatives, among whom were the police, the military and civil defence officers shot heavily in the air to disperse the protesters.
Addressing journalists in front of the INEC office, Adebutu stressed that they would not leave unless officials of the electoral commission attend to them.
According to the PDP candidate, the party had submitted different protest letters to INEC, to review the results of the election for the purpose of a re-run where elections were either cancelled or disrupted.
Adebutu expressed displeasure that security agents could allow themselves to be used against the wishes of the people, warning that the development could become another #Endsars protest.
Adebutu said: “We are here to protest, but unfortunately we have been confronted by the Nigerian Army and the police, shooting sporadically in the air to disperse us, but we are going to stay here until we are addressed by INEC officials.
“Our contention is that the measures by which other states have been treated and they are allowed to have reruns, Ogun State should be measured in the same vein.
“Adamawa has rerun; similarly, Kebbi has rerun. Why is Ogun State being denied a rerun?
“Please beg them we don’t want another #Endsars, we don’t want another bloodshed in Ogun State. Please beg them for us. It is our right to protest in a democracy.”
In a swift reaction, the APC spokesman in Ogun, Tunde Oladunjoye, denied allegations that the election was rigged in favour of the ruling party.
Oladunjoye said the APC “won fair and square” the governorship election held on Saturday.
In a press statement on Tuesday evening, Oladunjoye said the election itself was largely peaceful and the outcome was a true reflection of the wishes of the people of Ogun.
“Our party, APC, not only won the election with majority votes but also won in 12 of the 20 Local Government Areas in Ogun State. In addition, our party won 17 out of the 26 State House of Assembly constituency seats,” he said.
