The Labor Party in Ogun State has expressed dissatisfaction over the local government elections to be held on November 16, 2024, citing gross irregularities and voter disenfranchisement.
The party's state chairman, Lookman Jagun, conveyed this sentiment in an emergency press conference at the party's secretariat on Saturday, asserting that the elections did not meet the essential standards required for a legitimate electoral process.
Jagun characterized the elections as a farce and said the party would not accept any results that may be announced after the elections.
He lamented that the Chairman of OGSIEC, Babatunde Osibodu, squandered the opportunity to prove himself during the local government elections.
According to him, what happened today in Ogun State was inappropriate and did not meet the basic criteria for holding an election.
“There were no elections at all in the whole of Ogun State. The good people of Ogun State were deliberately disenfranchised and unable to express their dissatisfaction with the failure of governance in the state through their votes.
“There were no elections at all in virtually all polling stations in Ogun State. OGSIEC staff were not present at over 90% of polling stations and as of 1:30 p.m., there were no election materials at the polling stations. ” Jagun said.
The Labor Party leader said his party’s supporters endured long waits to vote and were forced to leave some polling stations.
By contrast, in other locations where essential supplies were provided, supporters were reportedly chased out of polling stations and those who resisted were allegedly subjected to physical violence and other aggressive acts.
Mr. Jagun further added, “It would be recalled that the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, had earlier boasted that the opposition was invincible and that the APC was going to win the polls by a landslide. They are planning to rig the elections in a number of ways and they just demonstrated it with today’s show. Ogun State is a gateway state and we are looking forward to improvements from OGSIEC.
“We completely reject whatever results were declared in this sham election. Even the good people of Ogun State have expressed their opinion on radio and television that there was no election in Ogun State. There is.”
The party called on OGSIEC to cancel the entire poll, claiming that it was held in violation of the Ogun State Electoral Act and that the party would not accept any results announced.
