Ogun LG polls: Labour Party alleges rigging

The Labour Party in Ogun State has frowned at the conduct of the November 16, 2024, local government elections, alleging gross irregularities and disenfranchisement of voters.

Lookman Jagun, the state chairman of the party, said in an emergency press conference held at the party secretariat on Saturday that it fell short of the minimum standard required for the conduct of an election.

Jagun, who described the election as a “sham,” disclosed that the party rejects whatever result is to be declared from the election.

He said: “Sadly, the Chairman of OGSIEC, Babatunde Osibodu, has failed to use the opportunity of the local government election to distinguish himself. What took place in Ogun State today falls short of the minimum standard required for the conduct of an election.

“There was no election whatsoever in the whole of Ogun State. The good people of Ogun State were deliberately disenfranchised and prevented from using their votes to express their dissatisfaction with the failure of governance in the state.

“There was no election whatsoever in virtually all the polling units in Ogun State. OGSIEC officials were nowhere to be seen in over 90 per cent of the polling units, and there were no election materials at the polling units as of 1.30 pm.”

He said the party’s supporters had to leave some polling stations after waiting for hours to exercise their democratic rights, while in other locations where the materials were delivered, supporters were chased away from the polling unit and those who refused to back down were beaten and subjected to other forms of violence.

He continued: “You will recall that the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, had earlier boasted that the opposition was invincible and that APC was going to sweep the polls. They plan to rig the election in the most crude and barbaric manner, and they have just demonstrated it with today’s charade. Ogun State is the gateway state and we expect better from OGSIEC.

“We totally reject whatever results are declared in this sham of an election. Even the good people of Ogun State have been expressing their opinions on radio and television that there was no election in Ogun State.”

The party demanded that OGSIEC call off the entire poll, saying it was done against Ogun State electoral law and that the party would not accept any results declared.

Ogun LG polls: Labour Party alleges rigging