The member representing Ado-Odo Ota Federal constituency at the National Assembly, Jimoh Ojugbele, and the Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Tunji Akinosi, are battling over the House of Representatives ticket of the All Progressives Congress(APC).

Mr Ojugbele, who has been in the House of Representatives for about 11 years, said he won the party’s ticket last Friday.

But Mr Akinosi disputed the claim, saying the process was at 70 per cent completion at second ballot before thugs attacked the venue.

He also said the electoral panel took the already cast votes and left the venue of the election, amidst violence.

Mr Ojugbele, who is currently representing the federal constituency at the House of Representatives, is seeking his fourth re-election.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the controversial House of Representatives election was conducted on Friday, amidst hiccups which made the election inconclusive.

Mr Ojugbele, who agreed that the election was not devoid of violence, said the process was concluded and he won by scoring 41 votes out of the 43 accredited delegates.

However, the party conducted a rerun election on Sunday, where thugs allegedly attacked the venue or the election.

‘Baseless rerun’

Mr Ojugbele described the rerun election as baseless and unfounded in law.

He said Mr Akinosi came a distant second in the election with only two votes.

According to him, once the election was concluded, any aggrieved aspirant can only approach the appeal committee for redress. He said the rerun held on Sunday was not sanctioned by the National Working Committee of the party as such will be a nullity.

“The intimidation and an attempt to disrupt the peaceful exercise by some disgruntled elements and street urchins sponsored by one of the aspirants who convincingly believed that the outcome of the election won’t be in his favour only delayed the exercise for few minutes before normalcy was restored by security agents on duty,” Mr Ojugbele said in a statement.

“It is on record that election was conducted, votes were counted, and result was announced by the assigned umpire at the same venue before all agents and I was declared the winner.

“The request for a re-run by an aspirant who lost an election because he is not popular is baseless, laughable and can best be imagined as such call is unfounded in law and a flagrant disregard to the party constitution.

“The primaries conducted at Alamuwa Grammar School by the assigned returning officer, Tunji Ibitokun, was without any controversy and was done in substantial compliance with the party constitution, electoral guidelines and Electoral Act.

“According to the final results as announced by Tunji Ibitokun, Hon. Ojugbele scored 41 votes out of the 43 accredited delegates and Hon. Tunji Akinosi came a distant second with 2 votes.

“Any attempt to conduct an election not sanctioned by the National Working Committee after it has been heard and decided by the Appeal committee will only amount to an exercise in futility and a nullity.”

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‘Election postponed’

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Akinosi dismissed Mr Ojugbele’s claims, appealing to everyone to wait for the party’s announcement on the election.

He said the electoral committee members were late to the venue of the election and due to night fall, the party postponed the election till Sunday.

“The election on Friday was supposed to start around 2:00 p.m. but the electoral panel from the party didn’t arrive until after 5:30 p.m.

“There, we decided that, that election was not supposed to hold in Ado Odo because the constitution of our party and of cause that of the electoral law says that federal constituency election shall hold at the Federal constituency headquarters. So when the electoral panel arrived we first argued that out.”

Mr Akinosi further said, based on security advise, the election was postponed till Sunday.

“So, when we got to the place where we were supposed to hold the election at Alamuwa in Ado Odo, it was around 6:25 p.m. Based on security advice, the election was postponed. This was because the school we used does not have a fence; there are bushes around and on ground there were over three thousand people.”

Mr Akinosi also countered Mr Ojugbele’s claim of having 43 delegates at the election ground saying 80 delegates were present and were supposed to vote.

“We have 15 wards in Ado Odo-Ota and we have five delegates each, when you multiply that you will have 80 and not 43.

“Anyways, I want to appeal to my brother, Ojugbele, to wait and allow the party announce the outcome of the election because, chaos started again on Sunday, the electoral panel took the election materials which has the votes of 14 out of 15 wards’ delegates, guarded by security operatives and left the venue.

“So let my brother, who has spent almost 12 years at the House of Representatives, wait for the announcement of the result from the party.”

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