L-R: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; and National Leader, All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and his wife, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, during a Fund Raising Dinner, hosted by "Friends of JKF" in Lagos.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr kayode Fayemi and his Osun State counterpart, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rescind its decision not to use Voters Card Reader machines in the forth coming Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections.
The two governors who faulted INEC’s decision to defer the use of card reader machines till the 2015 general elections spoke in Lagos at the weekend at a fund raising dinner hosted by “Friends of JKF. They spoke just as former Lagos State Governor and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu dared the Peoples Democratic Party to attempt rigging elections in the two states and see the wrath of the people.
Governor Fayemi while throwing his weight behind the use of VCR machine in Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial elections slated for June 21 and August 9, respectively, stated that Ekiti people will leave no stone unturned to ensure that their votes count and are counted and announced in Ekiti State and not elsewhere.
The Governor added that the electoral body, INEC would not only be encouraged but also be pressured to use the VCR machine to state its commitment to free, fair and credible polls in the two States.
Fayemi said: “We will go to any length not only to ensure that the votes of the people count but that the votes must be counted at the spot where they have chosen to elect the leader for themselves and we will do everything to ensure that INEC is forced, not just encouraged to use the card reader for these elections in Ekiti and Osun.”.
The APC candidate stressed that the difference made by his government in the lives of Ekiti people since 2010 is crystal clear and it is an evidence of his commitment to lifting up the weak and vulnerable section of the society.
Governor Fayemi who said that the seven years of the PDP rule in the State was full of criminality and brigandage stated that the collapse of the PDP candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose at Ifaki Ekiti was an act of God revealing the true colours of the enemies of the people.
Governor Aregbesola stated that the PDP is already collecting the voters identification numbers on voters cards with the aim of cloning the original cards, adding that the only way the cloned cards can be detected as fake is not physical examination but through the use of electronic voting system.
The Governor explained further that a plan is being staged to manipulate both Ekiti and Osun guber polls to favour the opposition in the affected States, saying that INEC should endeavour to test run the use of Voters Card Reader machines in the two States ahead of the 2015 general elections.
He added that INEC only needs to provide 3,500 VCR machines for the use in the two States as a sign of its commitment to conducting credible polls.
also at the event which drew the cream of the corporate world, APC National leader, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu at told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to perish its alleged plan to rig the forthcoming election in Ekiti and Osun States, saying that any attempt to subvert the people’s will would be resisted.
Tinubu said the PDP is aware that they could only win the State by manipulating the election because the party has not presented an alternative manifesto to challenge the ruling APC government in the State.
The former governor who dared the PDP-led FG to arrest him for his vow to resist rigging charged the people of Ekiti State to defend their votes and prevent any attempt not to make their votes count.
Tinubu said: “Those in Abuja have sent their agent down again for a repeat performance. They are not ashamed. Defend your votes, it is your right. No matter how much they complain, you will not see them do the campaign because they want to alter the mathematics. If they cannot do subtraction and addition successfully during the governors forum, they will not be able to do it during this election. I say it again, if you want to arrest me, come on, arrest me. If you rig this election, we roast you”, he stated.
While describing Fayemi as a sellable and dependable candidate, the APC national leader said the Governor is an actualiser of the dream for a Nigeria where the dividends of democracy is evenly distributed to the people without prejudice.
Tinubu stressed that Fayemi has lived up to the expectation of the people of Ekiti State and the APC even as he stated Fayemi has impacted the people’s lives positively to earn a second term.
” This is a fundraising to galvanize, to continue the 8 point agenda of Kayode Fayemi, the real change that we need, the change for progress, continuity, improvement in the capacity our people. Look at what Kayode is doing: job creation, empowerment, capacity building, knowledge development. I will put my money on that. Kayode, thank you for not putting us to shame. Those of us who believe in you will continue to believe in you and will continue to look forward to a day that somebody like you will be at the helms of affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A leader should be able to mobilize, compassionately develop. We will make more progress, not go backward. Fayemi combines speaking and doing, that is what an initiator, a successful leader must have”, Tinubu asserted.
The event was attended by people from corporate organizations, academics, private investors and political class among whom were the Governors of Ogun and Osun while Sokoto, Imo, Nassarawa, Oyo, Edo and Bauchi State Governors were represented.
Last modified: May 11, 2014
