National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole, says the party would not allow any form of rigging in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti.
He stated this on Friday in Abuja in reaction to Ekiti Governor, Ayo Fayose’s allegation that the APC had plans to rig the election, using Federal Government might.
Oshiomhole told newsmen that Fayose should go and learn how to persuade the electorate to get their votes and stop wild allegations.
He alleged that Fayose got into office through election rigging using the instruments of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then the party in power, but said that such instrument was no longer at the governor’s disposal.
According to him, the APC has dismantled the PDP rigging instrument because as democrats, it does not want to copy such act.
“For us, the PDP rigging machine is not something we want to copy; what we did was to dismantle it.
“I think what Fayose can complain about is that he was not used to winning an election on the basis of merit; this time, those instruments of rigging are not available to him.
“Now, he must learn to persuade the people to win election,” Oshiomhole said.
He maintained that Dr Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of the state and the APC candidate for the election, was tested and trusted and was capable of winning the state for the party.
“Ekiti people are going to choose between a tested and trusted hand and someone who has done his apprenticeship under a very controversial personality.
“I believe that people of Ekiti are now very much aware of what the issues are.
“They will go to make a sensible judgment and we are very certain that it will be in favour of our candidate and our party,” he said.
Oshiomhole expressed optimism that “God willing and with the support of the people of the state and on the basis of one-man one-vote and free and fair election, APC would emerge victorious at the election.
He said that Ekiti government had not paid salaries of its workers for months “even though the governor has been collecting Federal Government bailout funds repeatedly for that purpose’’. (NAN)
