By Elizabeth ADENUGA
Former Oyo governor and governorship candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, has alleged that some INEC officials were coniving with ruling party to rig 2019 elections.
He made the allegation in Ibadan on Tuesday while being presented alongside Prof. Abideen Olaiya as ADP governorship candidate and deputy governorship candidate respectively, in the state.
Alao-Akala was governor of Oyo State from 2007 to 2011 on the platform of PDP.
He alleged that the ruling APC and INEC were conniving to disenfranchise thousands of voters across the state.
“May I inform stakeholders in the Nigerian electoral system and the world at large that information reaching us from competent sources reveals INEC and APC are conniving to disenfranchise thousands of voters.
“This action is aimed at weakening the leading opposition candidates in their strongholds by engaging in state wide illegal relocation of voters from their units/local government of origin to another,” he said.
The ADP governorship candidate called on INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mammud and security agencies to put a stop to this advanced rigging method.
“Let me also tell the people that I am healthy and mentally fit for the rigorous tasks of governance.
“Holding a public office is not a function of age, but mental capacity, experience, maturity, sensitiveness, responsiveness, credibility, popular acceptability, good vision and mission,” he said.
The former governor declared that he was in the governorship race to reposition the state for the betterment of the people, saying 90 per cent of the outgoing government’s policies, programmes and projects were anti – people.
Alao-Akala promised that if elected to govern the state once more, he would hit the ground after inauguration on May 29, 2019.
He pledged to declare state of emergency in the education and health sectors as well as implement policies that would transform the state.
“My administration will also improve the welfare of the residents and create conducive environment for business growth. We will also improve the security network of the state,” he said.
Alao-Akala said his running mate is a devout Muslim from birth, saying he was not an emergency Muslim who adopted name to falsify religious leaning and appeal for pity.
