Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti State governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) for the June 18 poll, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to checkmate rigging and vote buying to protect the sanctity and integrity of the ballots.
The Australian-based medical doctor said the twin evil of vote buying and election rigging has destroyed the country’s electoral fabrics, saying such must be averted in the state for the votes of the electorate to count.
Oluyede described himself as the most qualified to govern the state in terms of exposure, professional accomplishments, experience and preparedness for the task of bringing the required dividends of democracy to the populace.
The governorship candidate stated these in Ado Ekiti yesterday while addressing journalists on his chances in the impending poll.
Speaking through a former Council boss and the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Mrs. Omotunde Fajuyi, Oluyede said his mission was to rejuvenate Ekiti State economy and tutor fresh bloods in the act of politics and governance in order to bring a paradigm shift in ways people are governed.
The medical practitioner said: “We have confidence in INEC and security operatives to superintend over a credible election.
“We have been working with the institutions, and we have been telling them that Ekiti State is yearning for a change. The security and INEC can’t afford to allow rigging. The system now won’t allow that. Trying to rig is like a camel passing through the eye of a needle; it is now difficult.”
On the issue of vote buying, Oluyede regretted that what started like a welfare package in the olden days for voters are now snowballing into a dangerous game destroying the electoral system.
“It started then like a welfare package for electorate, but politicians had turned it into buying and selling, and it is very bad. But the good side of it is that majority of the people are wiser now, and what is resonating on their lips is that they will collect their money and vote according to their consciences,” he stated.
On the preparedness of the party to take over the state, the governorship candidate maintained that his party commands solid and wide followership to be able to wrest power from the APC .
According to him, “We are on ground in 14 local government areas out of 16 and we have fair and admissible presence in two. We are strong in Ado, Ikere, Ijero, Ekiti West, Ilejemeje, Ekiti East, Ekiti Southwest, Irepodun/Ifelodun and others. We have a well-structured reach and our campaign strategy is principally village-to- village and house- to-house, and we are getting results.”
He said the most outstanding feature about his candidature is the fact that “for the first time Ekiti State will have someone, who is accomplished in his chosen career. It has never happened in the state before. I am a successful medical practitioner and consultant. Others are just parading fake accomplishments.”
