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With residents getting impatient with the delay in the declaration of the winner in Osun state governorship election held on Saturday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that there are attempts to manipulate the results of the election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the PDP, results attributed to APC in five local government areas including Olorunda, Osogbo, Ife East, Ilesa East and Boripe LGs were inflated in favour of APC.
A PDP agent, Dele Adeleke, at the collation centre on Sunday challenged the result presented by the collation officer of Ayedade local government. He said the result recorded and pasted on the wall at Ayedaade local government collection center was different from the one presented in Osogbo.
While initial results said PDP had 10,836 votes in Ayedaade, the collation officer reported 9,836, a difference of 1000.
A report by Daily Trust said a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, Salawu Mutiu Kolawole, on Sunday confessed that his boss ordered him to destroy the election result sheets of Ayedaade Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the PDP candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has warned the INEC not to tamper with the elections results
Adeleke, speaking through his campaign spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, asked the commission to restore votes already counted for Ayedaade Local Government Area.
In a statement signed by Rasheed, on Sunday, Adeleke’s campaign office said: “We warn again of ongoing push and plot to further doctor elections results with new focus on Osogbo.
“Reports indicate that plans are afoot to tamper with Osogbo Results while also refusing to release the deducted votes from Ayedade. This is an open electoral robbery, an affront on the will of Osun people.
“We demand restoration of Ayedaade votes as we warn against tampering with Osogbo votes.This threat to our nascent democracy should stop.”
The descrepancies have cast confusion on the results declared so far, making it difficult to project any of the contestants as the winner.
The final announcement of the winner of the election is being delayed by INEC in an effort to address the allegations. But Tension is currently rising in Osogbo with residents and party supporters protesting and suspecting the delay.