The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has accused Governor Dapo Abiodun and the ruling All Progressives Congress of attempting to hinder the party’s participation in the upcoming local government elections scheduled for Saturday.
Ogun PDP Chairman, Abayomi Tella, raised these concerns on Wednesday during a press briefing at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta.
Tella alleged that the APC, fearing the popularity of PDP candidates, is employing various tactics to marginalize the opposition. “The governor and APC have observed the overwhelming popularity of our candidates and are, therefore, scheming to block us from participating by any means possible,” he stated.
The PDP’s allegations emerge amidst a lawsuit filed by former state PDP chairman, Sikirullahi Ogundele, which Tella claimed is a deliberate strategy by the state government to destabilize the party. The lawsuit aims to disqualify PDP candidates by asserting they are not officially recognized members of the party.
“Before this baseless lawsuit, there were previous attempts to disrupt our party congresses, submission of parallel candidate lists to the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), and now this legal action questioning the eligibility of our candidates,” Tella noted. He pointed out that this suit was filed weeks past the official deadline for candidate objections, which OGSIEC had already set.
While expressing faith in the judiciary, Tella raised concerns over the impartiality of Justice Sunday Adeniyi, assigned to the case. He highlighted Justice Adeniyi’s past as an APC member, a former caretaker chairman of Ikenne Local Government, and campaign director for Governor Abiodun’s 2015 Senate bid.
“We respect the judiciary and trust in the rule of law. However, we cannot overlook that the judge assigned was once an APC member and appointed as a judge by Governor Abiodun. While we are not questioning his integrity, we urge him to ensure justice aligns with the rule of law,” Tella remarked.
Tella also called on OGSIEC to guarantee transparency during the elections, stressing the importance of timely distribution of election materials to all 20 local governments and 236 wards.
In response, Ogun APC Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, refuted the PDP’s accusations, attributing them to longstanding internal divisions within the party.
“The PDP is simply looking for someone to blame for its unresolved crisis. The APC has no hand in their internal rifts, parallel congresses, or factional disputes,” Oladunjoye said.
Former PDP chairman Sikirullahi Ogundele, also speaking with The PUNCH, denied any involvement with the state government, dismissing the accusations as “cheap lies.” “When I was in alignment with them, I wasn’t seen as a tool. Now that I’m taking a different path, they are accusing me. I am educated, with a PhD, and I know what I am doing,” Ogundele stated.
The case is set for hearing on Thursday, as both parties prepare for a legal faceoff ahead of the local government elections.
