The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, to face their failure and stop the blame game on the party, following the non-listing of Adebutu in the final list of governorship candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, Ogun State APC Campaign Council, Chief Kayode Odunaro, and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta on Sunday.
Recall that the PDP, in a reaction by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Kayode Adebayo, alleged that the effect of APC pressure on INEC was responsible for the non-listing of their candidate as a contestant in the governorship race.
Odunaro stated that the PDP should cut INEC some slack in its effort to deliver a credible election, following the rule of law and the clearly stated provisions of the Electoral Law of the nation.
“APC and its candidates are contestants with other political parties’ candidates in the race towards 2027 under INEC as the umpire and regulatory body. How can anyone now attribute the failure of PDP to follow through on simple administrative procedures and adherence to rules of the game as pressure from APC on INEC leading to the non-listing of their candidate as a contestant. Besides, other candidates from other states suffered the same fate as factional PDP in Ogun State for similar non adherence to the law. The nationally comatose PDP should stop the blame game on APC and its flagbearer, Senator Solomon Adeola for all their gambling tendencies in simple matters of following laid down rules,” Odunaro stated.
He further stated that the APC and its candidate for the governorship election, Senator Adeola, were ready to contest with any candidate in the race as certified by INEC, stressing, however, that it would be a waste of time and energy to focus on a candidate and party that the umpire refused to list as a participant in the game.
“Our stand on this is that APC and its candidate for the governorship race is campaigning to win based on proven and verifiable performance, capacity, equity and justice with its 9-Point ITESIWAJU Manifesto. We do not sympathize with any party or candidate that run foul of the rules of the game in any way. We all know what happens to a team fielding an ineligible player in a game of even football. More like scoring an own goal to lose the match whatever other score on the scoreboard,” Chief Odunaro stated.
