Governorship candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Osun State, Dr Najeem Salaam, has alleged manipulation of votes across political wards in the state.
Salaam alleged that most of his agents were not recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials who conducted the election.
Salaam said, “Even though we uploaded all the names of our party agents, especially here in Ejigbo, the agents in Ward 5 for the ADC were not given tags. The same thing happened in about 10 local governments across the state.
“I reported the matter to the relevant authorities, and they are looking into it. When the votes are being counted, my agents must be recognised at the polling units.
“Apart from that, in Ejigbo Local Government, the process has been going on without any crisis for now. I want to believe it will remain peaceful until the end of the exercise.
“As it stands, we cannot accept a situation where our party agents are not recognised. The importance of having party agents at the polling units cannot be overstated. All the names were uploaded onto the INEC platform, so I don’t understand why we are now being denied the opportunity to have our party agents present.
“Maybe towards the end of the election process, I will still address the press and let the people know how far we have gone with the matter.
“What I’m saying is part of the preparation on the side of INEC. When you requested that the parties upload the names of their agents, we did so. I don’t understand how or why the party agents would not be given tags.
“It is one part of the process. If, at the end of the day, we do not have this, then the process becomes very questionable. For now, I will remain silent on it until we get to the end of the whole exercise.
“If there is a fair election, with no rigging or manipulation, and there is a level playing field, I trust my God that I’m going to win the election.”
However, the spokesman of the ADC candidate, Abosede Busayo Oluwaseun, alleged that the candidate of the party escaped an assassination attempt by suspected political thugs.
The campaign spokesperson in a statement said, “Dr. Najeem Salaam, the ADC Governorship Candidate, escaped an alleged assassination attempt today at Ward 4, Unit 13, in Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State, shortly after casting his vote.
“According to eyewitness accounts, the incident was allegedly led by a suspected APC thug identified as “Big Hammer.” Dr. Salaam was swiftly whisked away by concerned locals who acted quickly to prevent the situation from escalating.
“Had it not been for the timely intervention and intelligence of residents at the scene, what happened today could have resulted in yet another tragic loss of life.
“The incident also reportedly disrupted voting and was accompanied by alleged electoral irregularities, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the voting process in the affected area.
“This is unacceptable. Democracy must never become a battlefield, and no Nigerian should have to risk their life simply for exercising their constitutional right to vote. We call on the security agencies and relevant authorities to immediately investigate this incident, identify those responsible, and ensure the safety of all voters, party agents and candidates.
“Dr. Najeem Salaam is alive. He remains resolute in his bid to rescue Osun from the shackles of bad governance.”
