Young Democratic Party (YDP) has accused the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of collusion to manipulate the ongoing Ondo Gubernatorial Election, stressing that the electoral body deliberately exclude its party’s authentic logo from the ballot papers as such the election be cancelled.
The party in a press statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Idris. Usman said INEC refused to listen to wise counsel that call for the postponement of the election to allow for adequate preparation by all parties involved in the election.
YDP asserted that “We therefore call for the elections to be cancelled as our voters were disenfranchised and prevented by the umpire from participating in deciding the direction of their state. Democracy is built on popular participation and INEC has made a mockery of this sacrosanct principle that differentiates democracy from all other forms of government.
According to Idris “An umpire is always expected to be neutral in any contest however, It must be said that the way and manner the Independent National Electoral Commission has failed to meet up with this simple standard of neutrality in the build up to this election and during the election proper would largely affect the integrity of the results of this election.
He said “The wilful exclusion of our party logo has robbed us of votes that we had worked hard to win by relating directly with the masses while other contestants were busy putting up media shows with rented crowds. INEC has discredited itself and more than confirmed our suspicions prior to this election by this broad daylight robbery against the good people of Ondo state.
“The Young Democratic Party ticket in Ondo State has suffered wilful marginalisation by the powers that be with the active collusion of INEC and some sections of the media that deliberately played up some candidates at the expense of others, reducing this contest to a mere charade. Our earlier position that the election be postponed to allow for the electoral body to adjust course by providing a level playing field for all candidates and political parties was vindicated by the unlawful, unjust misrepresentation and exclusion of our party emblem on which we had campaigned vigorously and mobilised our supporters at the grassroots.
The party also said “We reiterate our earlier stance that INEC was ill prepared for this election and failed to carry all stakeholders along in the build up to this election.
“We call on INEC to retrace its steps and do the needful while also calling on our supporters to continue to be law abiding as they have been throughout the course of this struggle for the emancipation of our beloved state from the shackles of elitist whims.
