2023: Oyo South APC Senatorial Aspirant Calls for Rerun Cancellation 

One of the aspirants for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Oyo South Senatorial ticket, Kolapo Kola-Daisi, has disagreed with the outcome and called for the cancellation of a purported Primary rerun, citing irregularities and over-voting.

Kola-Daisi said he remained the candidate of the APC, in Oyo South, asserting that he did not participate in the rescheduled May 31st primary because he already won the election on May 29th, the day the party slated and conducted the election.

KKD, who had emerged victorious at the initial primary election, held on Sunday, having polled a total number of 212 votes, was not declared winner and the election cancelled, due to alleged over-voting recorded at the exercise.

However, at the rerun, held on Tuesday, a former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Sarafadeen Alli, took the lead with 185 votes; followed by Kolapo Kola-Daisi with 145 votes; the incumbent, Kola Balogun had 84 votes; Bimbo Adekanmbi, 72 votes and Waheed Olajide, 1 vote with 2 void votes recorded during the exercise.

While reacting to the outcome of the result, Kola-Daisi disagreed and rejected the votes, saying the manner with which the initial election was cancelled and the arbitrary way a rerun was scheduled within 24 hours without a petition does not suggest fairness.

In an address to the party delegates, his supporters, party leadership and other stakeholders, Kola-Daisi said recent events had shown why so many youths are left disenfranchised and apathetic towards politics.

He noted that the lack of internal democracy in political parties discourages willing participants but a fairer system would benefit the party significantly by bringing different ideas and different perspectives to finding solutions to the problems being encountered.

He stated: “While irregularities were noted at the election of May 29th, any review of the result of that election can only be done through the appropriate electoral appeal process. This appeal process would review any issues raised, invite interested parties to make representations and make decisions based on facts, the constitution of our party and also in accordance with relevant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Furthermore, the appeal process requires obtaining necessary approvals within the party hierarchy to carry out its recommendations. How all of this can happen without inviting aspirants and in less than 24 hours does not suggest fairness. The party or its election committees should not unilaterally cancel an election without following due process,” Kola-Daisi argued.

Consequently, he distanced himself from what he called “the sham of the primary election purportedly held on the 31st of May, 2022, that was tagged a re-run.”

He said as far as he was concerned, he had been duly elected as the candidate of the APC for the Oyo South Senatorial District having scored the majority votes and should be allowed to prepare for and contest for the general election scheduled for February 2023.

KDK, however, assured his supporters that he would not be distracted by the event and urged all other youths, who are interested in politics,  not to lose faith or be discouraged from joining the trail.

He added that the huge motivation and support he enjoys from all stakeholders should serve as enough motivation to further fuel their desire to serve.

Confidence Okwuchi