Governor Rauf Aregbesola /Facebook
Kunle Adegoke, a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has accused the Osun State Government of planning to manipulate the party’s governorship primary election in favour of the Chief of Staff to the governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.
Adegoke rejected direct primary mode election adopted by the APC, saying it had already been compromised. He however said he would participate in the exercise just for legal reasons.
The Lagos-based lawyer made his allegation at a press conference in Osogbo on Wednesday.
Adegoke said, “The INEC will need to send 332 officials to monitor the election in all the 332 wards all over the state. Commissioners and local government chairmen who have been instructed to manipulate the exercise in favour of Oyetola will be presiding officers in each of the wards.
“It is sad to note that the supporters of the state-anointed aspirant, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, are now threatening our supporters that they should not appear at the ballot centres except they are ready to vote for the said anointed aspirant.
“The supporters of the anointed aspirant, backed by state apparatus, have been distributing fake membership cards recently printed and soliciting for votes with huge cash.”
He added, “I, Kunle Rasheed Adegoke ( K. Rad), unequivocally state that this primary election is already schemed in favour of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola by some leaders of the party.
“I am only going to participate in it for obvious legal reasons as I am not prepared to boycott any election to give them an opportunity to have a consensus candidate.”