The 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state, Senator Teslim Folarin on Sunday said the Saturday local government election in the state was a charade and civilian coup.
Senator Folarin in a statement by his media aide, Comrade YSO Olaniyi, declared that no election was conducted in 351 wards of Oyo state and that the Saturday polls was “a monumental fraud”.
The former Senate leader pointed out that what was witnessed in the state on Saturday “was a charade and should not be allowed to stand”.
“What happened in Oyo state on Saturday, April 27th 2024 was a charade and civilian coup. A big shame for the Governor Makinde-led PDP and Barrister. Olagunju-led OYSIEC”, he said.
Senator Folarin added, “In spite of assurance by Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) that there would be an open, free and fair LGA elections, there was no election in Oyo state today”.
“What Governor Seyi Makinde and OYSIEC demonstrated today was a charade and should not be allowed to stand. Governor Makinde is consistent in his position that he does not believe in local government system.
“The governor’s undemocratic stance has crippled good governance and development at the grassroots in the last five years”.
“Our people are tired of misgovernance of PDP administration in the state and waited patiently for an opportunity to vote in a party – APC – that believes in local government administration as an instrument of grassroots development.
“Unfortunately, Governor Makinde and his OYSIEC disenfranchised our people. The drama started days before the election with a lot of discrepancies in the list of ad hoc staff and the election materials but OYSIEC Chairman, Barrister Olagunju assured all participating opposition political parties of a level playing ground.
“Sadly, the promise was not kept because the ruling PDP cannot win in a free and fair contest against the APC,” Folarin said.
