The Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, has reacted to the conduct of the local government election which held across Oyo state on Saturday.
Shittu, while commenting on the election held in the 33 Local Government Areas and the newly created 35 Local Council Development Areas across the state, said he had foreseen the voters apathy that marred the election, that is why he could not be part of it.
He, however, declared the election as not only illegal, unconstitutional but conducted in an atmosphere of what he described as a ‘Wuruwuru’.
Shittu while addressing journalists shortly after the election in Ibadan, the state capital on Saturday declared that the election could not stand the test of time due to some reasons.
He said first, the circumstances that surrounded the conduct of the election such as the pending court cases, boycott of the election by the major opposition parties and the shunning of the election by a group within the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress Unity Forum in the state, will not make the election stand.
He added that the election will not be recognised by the constitution because it was conducted in LCDAs that are yet to be recognised by the constitution and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
For these reasons, Shittu declared that the election will not stand the test of time and will not be recognised.
Shittu said, “On the conduct of the local government election held today, first, that is after 6 years, now we are doing ‘Wuruwuru local government election.
“He claimed that there is a case in court, now there are two court cases in court.
“Number two, can you organise election in a local government which INEC has not delineated. Local government in Nigeria are created by the constitution and before it is done, the INEC will say there are areas where each ward will be. The last time they were in court in Abuja, the court could not take a decision because there are two counsels to APC, and the court said that until the legal adviser of the party come to clarify who is the authentic counsel, there would be no pronouncement.
“The election that the generality of the people have shunned is ‘Wuruwuru’, it is injustice. I can’t be part of ‘Wuruwuru election’. I can’t be part of such election.
“Why the rush after six years? The rush that he does not have six years ago, now a year ago to the election. He thinks he can just use ‘Wuruwuru’ to do. We will not succumb and allow him to do ‘Wuruwuru’.
“A lot of people are taking the opportunity of being a progressive that even in banana republic, is not allowed.
Shittu further added that he was of the opinion that the leadership of the party should intervene and save the party from further degeneration.
He said, “I want to believe that the party leadership will intervene”.
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