Group knocks opposition parties over protests against new Oyo REC
An interest group, Oyo Development Initiative (ODI) has chided opposition parties in Oyo State for what it called an unnecessary war currently being waged against the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) recently deployed to the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ambassador Akeju.
According to the group, the campaign smacked of desperation towards the forthcoming general elections.
This was contained in a statement issued in Ibadan on Thursday by its coordinator, Dr. Adesola Okanlawon.
The group also said it had it on good authority that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts in the state were seeking presidency’s nod to get a more pliable REC who will perfect the rigging of the polls in their favour.
It would be recalled that various protests had been staged by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party, Labour Party and Social Democratic Party (SDP), calling for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner.
The group wondered why the hue and cry over the deployment of Akeju to Oyo State, saying that this was only a panicky measure owing to the fear of imminent loss by the opposition at the polls.
“What these people have failed to realize is that elections are not won on the basis of the macabre dance they are engaging in through street protests and placard carrying against the person posted to Oyo State by INEC to superintend over the forthcoming elections.
“While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is seriously strategizing on how to come out victorious at the polls, the opposition are engaging in character assassination, mudslinging and name calling, all in an attempt to boot out an innocent man simply because they have not done their home work properly’’ it said.
ODI called on the opposition parties to concentrate their energies on straightening the rough edges that emanated from their primaries and the acrimony from their party faithful rather than engage in character assassination.
“The PDP and other opposition parties are trying to replicate the propaganda in Osun state which succeeded in blackmailing INEC authorities to transfer Akeju from the state. That propaganda and character assassination will not work in Oyo State as the whole world has seen through this unhealthy politicization of elections,” the ODI said.
The group called on INEC authorities to regard the protests as the ranting of frustrated politicians who have seen the handwriting on the wall but failed to accept the rising profile of the APC-led government in the state and the certainty of its victory at the polls.
It called on the people of the state to be wary of the antics of the opposition to set the state on fire and cause unnecessary tension in the build-up to the elections and use it as a veritable ground to reject the outcome of the elections which would certainly be in favour of the APC.
