Supporters of Mr Gbenga Abiola, popularly known as Agbelebu, an aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State House of Assembly primary for Agege Constituency I, have rejected purported results of Wednesday’s exercise circulating online.
The supporters, under the aegis of Agbelebu Solidarity Forum, described the results as fake and forged, insisting that no valid election was conducted across the approved centres in the constituency.
Abiola, the immediate past Vice Chairman of Agege Local Government, former Sole Administrator of the council and former Secretary to the local government, was contesting for the APC ticket for Agege Constituency I against the former Chairman, Mr Abduganiyu Egunjobi, under whom he served.
Both leaders were jostling to replace their mentor and Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Mr Mudashiru Obasa, a sixth-term lawmaker, who had secured the APC House of Representatives ticket for Agege Federal Constituency.
In a statement signed by the Director-General of the forum, Dr Jamiu Ademosu, on Wednesday in Lagos, the group alleged that what transpired across the wards were acts of intimidation and harassment.
Ademosu said the alleged actions were aimed at suppressing the will of genuine party members during the primary election.
“We wish to categorically state that no valid election was conducted across the five designated and approved primary election locations within Agege Constituency 01.
“What party members and stakeholders witnessed across the wards were acts of intimidation, harassment and deliberate attempts to suppress the will of genuine party members.
“Despite these unfortunate incidents, loyal members of the party remained resolute and stood their ground peacefully,” he said.
He maintained that none of Abiola’s accredited agents signed or endorsed the purported results currently being circulated online.
According to Ademosu, the results should, therefore, be disregarded by party faithful and members of the public.
“It is important to note that no accredited agent representing Hon. Gbenga Abiola, popularly known as Agbelebu, signed or endorsed the purported results currently being circulated.
“The so-called results are therefore fake, forged and should be disregarded by all party faithful and the general public.
“Furthermore, the hasty and suspicious announcement of these results raises serious concerns about their authenticity,” he said.
The director challenged those behind the alleged results to provide credible evidence that lawful voting and declaration of results took place in the constituency.
Ademosu said that if any lawful process was truly conducted, evidence of official announcement of results at the ward level should be made public.
“If truly any lawful process was conducted and won fairly, we challenge those behind the fake announcement to provide credible video evidence showing where and when the results were officially announced in any of the wards within Agege Constituency 01.
“We hereby urge all our supporters, APC members and the good people of Agege to remain calm, law-abiding and disregard every form of false and misleading result being paraded online.
“The Agbelebu Solidarity Forum remains committed to due process and democratic principles as we patiently await the official announcement from the party leadership at the APC Secretariat,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abiola’s bid for the APC ticket has drawn significant attention within Agege political circles especially among his grassroots political structure in the constituency. (NAN)
