Saraki says APC committed electoral fraud in rerun.
He said the supplementary election was a charade and an embarrassment to Nigeria's democracy.
Senate President Bukola Saraki (left) shakes hands with Senator Ademola Adeleke (right) who lost the Osun State governorship election (@bukolasaraki/Twitter)
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has condemned the conduct of the Osun governorship rerun election on Thursday, accusing the ruling All Progressives' Congress (APC) of committing electoral fraud that puts Nigeria's democracy in danger.
The state's rerun election took place on Thursday, September 27, 2018, just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the original September 22 election to have been inconclusive.
This was because the victory margin of 353votes of first-placed contestant, Senator Ademola Adeleke (254,698 votes) of thePeople's Democratic Party (PDP), over APC's second-placed Gboyega Oyetola(254,345 votes) was less than the 3498votes cancelled in seven polling units.
In the rerun election that took place in those affected polling units on Thursday, Oyetola won the rerun election with a difference of 835 votes as he acquired a total of 1160 votes to Adeleke's 325.
The poll closed with Oyetola winning a total255,505 votes, 482 more votes than Adeleke's 255,023. INEC's Chief Returning Officer for the elections, Professor Joseph Afuwape, declared Oyetola the winner in Osogbo, the state capital, on Thursday evening.
In reaction to the APC's victory, Saraki, who was the Chairman of the PDP's Presidential Council on Osun State, said the supplementary election was a charade and an embarrassment to Nigeria's democracy.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, on Friday, September 28, Saraki said Thursday's result was a display of the subversion of the will of the Osun people.
He expressed fears that the shameful conduct of the rerun election raises doubts over the ability of the relevant institutions to conduct free and fair elections in 2019.
The Senate President, also a presidential aspirant, noted with disgust the APC's disposition towards subverting the basic principles of the country's democracy.
He said, "Yesterday, we witnessed another display of the subversion of the will of the Osun people during the re-run gubernatorial elections in the State.
"The election was characterised by widespread voter intimidation, violence and harassment. Accredited observers were denied access to polling units and duly registered voters were prevented from participating in the electoral process by thugs and compromised security agents.
"Like I said a few days ago, this needless re-run election was only designed as an avenue for the ruling party to perpetrate electoral fraud. The nature of these elections is an embarrassment to our democracy and casts an alarming pall on the institutions responsible for protecting the will of the Nigerian people as stated through their votes.
"That was why for more than ten hours the INEC could not collate and announce results in just seven polling units with just over 2000 votes.
"It is surprising that the election in which on Saturday, the two leading candidates were running neck to neck with the PDP candidate having an edge, four days later, as a result of manipulations and impossible conditions, the APC candidate is now being credited with all the votes and some paltry number of votes were being recorded for the PDP candidate.
"It is important for Nigerians and the international community to insist that the hands of the clock should not be turned back in terms of the achievements we recorded in the last general elections.
"We should not make a mockery of democracy by conducting elections in the manner that the Osun Polls were conducted.
"The Osun election is a clear indication of how the 2019 election will be conducted. It demonstrates that if we cannot conduct free, peaceful and fair elections in seven polling units spread across four local government areas of a state, then the conduct of the general elections in 774 local government areas across 36 states of the country is already endangered.
"I therefore call on the government, INEC, security agencies and development partners to ensure a radical change in the way and manner the next set of elections will be conducted. Osun 2018 Polls is a very low point in our electoral system.
"In the 2015 elections, Nigeria witnessed several gains in its electoral process. The process was transparent and people's votes counted. These gains made it possible for the then opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win at the centre and in many states of the nation. That election highlighted a fine moment in Nigeria's democracy.
"It is disheartening that the major beneficiaries of those credible processes are now the ones subverting the basic principles of our democracy in every way possible. It is appalling that these people are willing to destroy our institutions in their quest to circumvent the desires of the people.
"It is important to once again reiterate that the re-run election in Osun State is not only about Osun State. It serves as a reflection of our country and the way we are viewed by the world. "
PDP to contest Osun result in court - Saraki
Saraki also disclosed in his statement that the result of the Osun governorship election will be contested in court. He also urged PDP supporters to keep calm while the party commences legal processes to regain its mandate.
He said, "Like I said a few days ago, this theft of the mandate given to Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the elections, will not stand.
"Our party will immediately commence the legal process aimed at reclaiming the sacred mandate of the people of Osun State.
"I would like to reassure members and supporters of our party, the PDP candidate, Senator Adeleke and the entire good people of Osun State that light shall always overcome darkness.
"We have come this far after several months of dedication and hard work. I ask that we remain of good cheer, steadfast and committed to the cause. Victory, no matter how delayed, will not be denied."
Adeleke kicks against election result
The PDP's candidate, Adeleke, has already called on INEC to cancel the rerun election and declare him the true winner. He saidthe election was not free and fair and alleged that PDP members were harassed and prevented from voting at polling units across the state.
He said, "This is not a free and fair election. Osun state is under siege; we are at war in Osun. They didn't allow my party to even vote. It's only APC people they allowed to vote. The security agents and INEC have compromised so there's no election in Osun today.
"I urge INEC, with immediate effect to cancel today's election and declare me the winner because I've already won the election. This is a kangaroo election with all the security agents intimidating my party faithfuls. All the people that wante to vote, they drove them; so this is not an election. Nigeria is in trouble. We're at war in Osun."
Adeleke also disclosed that he has enough evidence to prove that he already won before the rerun and will take the matter to an election tribunal if he has to.
"Like I said before, we're not a violent people. The option is there for us to go to court, tribunal. We have a lot of evidences that we've won the election already," he said.
He also urged his supporters to not resort to violence and assured them that victory will be achieved.
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