Ondo : Adoption of Akeredolu by Coalition 2020 Fraud – Dada

Ahead of Ondo state governorship election, the Pioneer chairman of the Coalition 2020, Hon Bamiduro Dada on Tuesday condemned what he described as purported adoption of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu by the group describing it as a sham.

The Coalition 2020 is made up of 26 political parties, ethnic groups, trade unions, youths groups, women amongst others.

Akeredolu on Tuesday defeated candidates of the People’s Democratic Party and Zenith Labour Party, Eyitayo Jegede and Agboola Ajayi  at a mock election organised by the Coalition 2020.

Akeredolu scored 162 votes, Agboola emerged first runner up with 89 votes, Jegede polled 67 votes while the Prince Dapo Adelegan of the ADC had six votes.

There was also report of ballot snatching during the exercise.

But Dada , a former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, alleged that the current chairman of the group betrayed other members of the coalition 2020 with his questionable manner in which the exercise was conducted.

In a Statement, Dada said the adoption was conceived and acted in a dishonest manner.

He alleged that  It was a big shame that the coalition members who have been preaching good governance could jetisson the purpose for setting up the body because of ten million Naira the chairman and the secretary collected as bribe.

He said, ” Coalition 2020 was established about a year ago to provide a viable opposition to the misrule of APC government in Ondo state. At the conclusion of the primaries of all the parties , the leadership of the coalition decided to adopt a party to work with.

 
“Ordinarily, we were to make a choice between PDP and ZLP. Suddenly, Mr Akin Akinbobola , the chairman of the coalition ,started to scheme in a bid to bring in the ruling party. 

“This was resisted by members. Himself and the secretary of the coalition, Mr Sikiru Adetona , Alias Conway cunningly brought in the ruling party after collecting millions of Naira as bribe. 

“It was a big shame that coalition members who have been preaching good governance could jentisson the purpose for setting up the body because of ten million Naira the chairman and the secretary collected as bribe. 

“To me , the purported adoption was a fierce and carried out because of the #10m bribe received by the chairman and the secretary. I was manhandled because I refused to be pert of the injustice and the money making venture embarked upon by the chairman and the secretary of the coalition. 

But the chairman of the Coalition, Mr Akin Akinbobola faulted the Bamiduro’s claim, saying the allegation of N10 million inducement was baseless .

He said over 400 delegates participated in the mock election which was highly transparent.

THE STATEMENT IN FULL

At the conclusion of the primaries of all the parties , the leadership of the coalition decided to adopt a party to work with. Ordinarily, we were to make a choice between PDP and ZLP. Suddenly, Mr Akin Akinbobola , the chairman of the coalition , started to scheme in a bid to bring in the ruling party. This was resisted by members.

Himself and the secretary of the coalition, Mr Sikiru Adetona , Alias Conway cunningly brought in the ruling party after collecting millions of Naira as bribe.

Today, 15th September, 2020 , members were called to convene for the adoption of one of the candidates.

Members went into the election thinking things would be handled normally. During the accreditation, names of people who were not members of the coalition were brought in.

Members started grumbling because of Mr Akinbobola’s importation of non-members. When the election was ongoing, I signified my intention to make an observation about the compromised processes of the election.

This was resisted by Akinbobola ( chairman of the coalition) . He signalled to the bouncers he brought to the place.

One of the bouncers gave me a terrible slap from behind. I was thoroughly beaten , my clothes were torn and the money I had on me (#18,000) was removed from my pocket.

Thank God for the intervention of one of our members who collected my phone from the bouncers . I was dragged on the floor from the hall to outside of the hall . The whole place became rowdy .

It was the police from Ijapo police station that rescued me. Shortly , two buses loaded with APC thugs arrived the venue, led by the APC chairman , Mr Ade Adetimehin. Thank God that the police had sneaked me into their vehicle before the arrival of the thugs.

They didn’t know that I was in the police van .
People who eventually did the adoption were not members of the coalition .

  It was a big shame that coalition members who have been preaching good governance could jentisson the purpose for setting up the body because of ten million Naira the chairman and the secretary collected as bribe.

To me , the purported adoption was a fierce and carried out because of the #10m bribe received by the chairman and the secretary. I was manhandled because I refused to be pert of the injustice and the money making venture embarked upon by the chairman and the secretary of the coalition.

The next line of action shall be announced to the people of Ondo state in few days. However , I wish to state it categorically that the adoption was conceived and acted in a dishonest manner and therefore can not stand.

That wasn’t an adoption. Apology to the people of Ondo state and particularly the Governorship candidates of PDP and ZLP who , before now held us in high esteem.

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