TheCable

Kolapo Olusola, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the recent governorship election in Ekiti, has challenged the result of the poll won by Kayode Fayemi.

Olusola, current deputy governor of the state, filed a petition at the Ekiti election petition tribunal on Friday, kicking against the result as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Addressing journalists alongside his running mate and lawyers, Olusola said his party had filed a 700-page petition containing “overwhelming evidence to show that figures were falsified in favour of Fayemi.”

He also said he was challenging the election results “not out of desperation to be governor, but for reasons of future and posterity, and largely on behalf of the people of Ekiti, who were taken aback by the outcome of the election.”

“The election was openly manipulated by political desperadoes, using instruments of the federal government,” he said.

“Without doubt, the will of the people was subverted by those who have chosen to take Nigeria back to the dark days of ballot stuffing, ballot boxes snatching and outright falsification of election results and I believe they deserve to get justice

“The mood of Ekiti people when the beneficiary of the electoral robbery was declared winner and up till today is a pointer to the resolve of the people not to accept the subversion of their will and we have answered their calls to use the judiciary to get back their mandate.”

Fayemi, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 197,459 votes while the PDP candidate had 178,121 votes, a margin of 19,338.

The PDP had earlier said it would challenge the result of the election in court.

The party accused the APC of using “federal might” to intimidate voters and their supporters during the exercise.