PDP Withdraws from Ekiti LG Polls, Says SIEC, Govt Biased

PDP Withdraws from Ekiti LG Polls, Says SIEC, Govt Biased
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
As Ekiti State prepares to conduct the local government elections on December 7, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ado Local Government has unveiled its intention to withdraw from the race.
The party said it will not allow the state Governor Kayode Fayemi to allegedly use members to legitimise a “skewed and  predetermined process”.
It added that rather than dissipate energy on council elections, it will focus on the 2022 governorship election to scheme a return to the state political leadership.
A statement in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday signed by Hon. Yinka Olomofe on behalf of Ado Ekiti PDP Stakeholders, alleged that the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC], Justice Aladejana (rtd), lacked the moral impetus to superintend over a body as sensitive as EKSIEC.
“The integrity of the man named as the Chairman of State Independent Electoral Commission is in doubt. A man suspended as Chief Judge of the state due to his professional misconduct lacks moral standing to conduct free and fair elections,” the statement read in parts.
The PDP leaders also accused the EKSIEC of being peopled with card carrying members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), “who were under strict instructions to declare all APC candidates as winners of the elections and thus will not embark on a journey to nowhere”.
The statement said Ado Ekiti PDP leadership frowned on attempt by the government to siphon Ekiti State to the tune of N5 billion, using EKSIEC as a conduit in a predetermined exercise.
“We also frown on the ridiculous amount of money which is said to be about N5 billion purportedly allocated for this shoddy exercise. We will not participate in an exercise which is solely aimed at siphoning the state’s scarce resources,” it said.
Olomofe said Ado Ekiti council PDP will resist the attempt to use it to assert credibility on a venture aimed at looting Ekiti treasury.
“An election predetermined to serve as payback for supporters of Governor Kayode Fayemi in APC cannot enjoy our participation. We will not give unnecessary credibility to an election with a predetermined outcome,” the statement read.
Citing its resolve not to endanger the lives of its members as another reason the PDP will not be participating, Olomofe charged PDP members
to continue to prepare for the 2022 governorship election, which will attract the attention of men of conscience from across the world, a factor that will limit to a large extent APC penchant for electoral manipulations and violence.
“We therefore urge our members to continue preparing for 2022 governorship election which is our focus and allow Kayode Fayemi and
his political thugs continue their peculiar mess which by the grace of God will come to an end very soon,” the statement read.
But the SIEC commissioner in charge of Publicity, Chief Tunde Oloketuyi, said Aladejana is still an employee of the state judiciary and eminently qualified to be appointed as the chairman of EKSIEC.
Oloketuyi added that the commission remains apolitical adding that they are resolute to conduct free and credible polls.

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