Adebayo Adenrele
...says reports emanate from onfield observers
The member representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency I in the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, has refuted claims that he declared himself winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly primary election, insisting that reports suggesting his victory were independently filed by election observers who monitored the exercise across the constituency.
Rotimi, while reacting to controversies trailing the APC House of Representatives primary, said reports published by media organisations were based on observations made by citizen journalists who moved freely across the wards where the exercise was conducted.
According to him, the reports did not originate from his media team but from independent observers who documented the conduct of the primaries and the results collated at the ward level.
The lawmaker stated that the election was conducted openly across all wards in the constituency, adding that there were videos, photographs and documented evidence showing that voting and collation processes were properly carried out.
He maintained that any party member dissatisfied with the conduct of the primary election had the right to seek redress through the party’s internal mechanisms by presenting evidence to support such claims.
His words, “News agencies and journalists went around the various wards, and they could see the free and fair election that took place across the state. From the statements and press releases I have seen, it was very clearly stated.
“These are not reports from my media team. They are reports filed by independent journalists who went around the wards and documented what they saw. Journalists were free to move around and report based on the realities on ground.
“Everything was conducted openly across the wards. There are videos, there is a lot of evidence, and returns were collated at the various ward levels. So, if journalists or anyone file reports on what happened, it does not necessarily mean that I am the one declaring myself winner. They are simply reporting the outcomes they observed.
“If anybody, as a party member, claims that the primaries were not properly conducted, the person is free to present his or her facts, videos, and evidence to the party through the appropriate channels. Everything was openly conducted across the wards, and there are videos and pictures showing clearly that the primaries were validly conducted, reported, filed, and submitted ward by ward.
“So, if anyone goes ahead to summarize the results from the various wards and indicate a likely winner, I do not think that is out of place. I even saw in one of the reports where it was clearly stated that it was pending the official announcement by the party.
“If anyone says the primaries were not well conducted, that person is entitled to his or her opinion. But it is obvious that people came out in large numbers to exercise their franchise and choose, out of the nine aspirants contesting, who they wanted to represent them in the next cycle. It was very valid across the board. Videos and pictures do not lie.
“However, regarding the allegations that have been made, I believe I have already addressed them. When you look at the overwhelming turnout, the videos, and the large number of people who voted for a particular candidate, it becomes obvious why some aspirants may feel threatened.
“After making so much noise and then seeing outcomes that contradict the claims and bragging, it can be difficult for some people to accept the reality.
“But the evidence is everywhere. You could see it in the faces of the people across the wards. They believe this person has performed to their expectations and they want him to continue.
“If anybody wants to challenge the outcome, they should not be challenging me personally. I did not conduct the primaries; the party conducted the primaries.
“The exercise was conducted by the party and witnessed by INEC across the 24 wards in the constituency. It was also witnessed by both conventional journalists and citizen journalists who recorded videos across the board.
“Now, if anybody is unhappy with the outcome which is normal in politics when people contest elections and lose they may try to rationalize it. But that is not on me. That is on whoever is making those allegations.
“I appreciate all the co-aspirants. At least three or four of them publicly made statements withdrawing their aspirations and endorsing me.
“However, the Electoral Act clearly states that even if only one aspirant remains, primaries must still be conducted. In this case, there were still at least three, four, or five people in the race.
“If I am correct, either the Electoral Act or the INEC guidelines also states that if a party intends to adopt consensus, INEC must be informed at least three days earlier. So there was really no room for unofficial endorsements or withdrawals in the eyes of the law.
“The primaries had to be validly conducted and that was exactly what happened across all 24 wards in the constituency”.
