Atiku Abubakar has cast doubts over the conduct of the Osun governorship rerun election taking place on Thursday, September 27, 2018.
The governorship election that originally took place on Saturday, September 22, 2018, was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, September 23.
This was because the victory margin of 353 votes of first-placed candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke (254,698 votes) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over second-placed Gboyega Oyetola (254,345 votes) of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) was less than the 3498 votes cancelled in seven polling units.
With Osun residents casting their votes in the affected polling units on Thursday, Atiku has taken to social media to raise alarm over reports of irregularities taking place in the conduct of the election.
He tweeted, “Reports about voters & observers intimidation by security agents in Osun rerun election is unacceptable & must be stopped. The rerun is being widely monitored in Nigeria & beyond.
“I hope that @inecnigeria will redeem its pledge of being an impartial umpire.”
Atiku’s alarm comes just hours after PDP candidate, Senator Adeleke, described the rerun election as a coup against democracy.
“What is happening in Osun State now is not an election. What we have is a coup. That is what we are witnessing now.
“Our supporters are being harassed and are not allowed to vote at all. Let the whole world know that this is not democracy,” he told.
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