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The Imole Campaign Council of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged involvement of All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains and supporters in the transportation, movement and distribution of election materials ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
In a letter to the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, the campaign council urged INEC to urgently review the list of coordinators and transport operators reportedly engaged for election logistics across the state.
The letter, signed by the council’s Director-General, Senator Lere Oyewumi, was titled, “Request for Immediate Review of Operators Engaged for the Logistics and Distribution of Election Materials.”
The council alleged that some persons listed to handle election logistics were known APC members or supporters, arguing that their involvement could raise questions about the neutrality of the process and undermine public confidence in the election.
Among those named in the letter were individuals reportedly assigned responsibilities in Iwo, Ila, Ede North, Ede South and Egbedore Local Government Areas.
In Iwo, the campaign council alleged that Semiu Akofe, reportedly listed to coordinate election-material logistics, is an APC chieftain.
It similarly claimed that Abdullahi Oderanti, reportedly assigned to Ila, is a serving APC executive member in the local government.
The council also alleged APC affiliations involving Akeem Olanrewaju in Ede North and Ibrahim Lukman in Ede South, both of whom it said were listed for election logistics-related duties.
In Egbedore, the campaign council alleged that Oyegoke Abiola, described as a public transport operator, is an APC chieftain. It also claimed that Ayoola Makanjuola and Ayantunji Akeem, who were reportedly assigned roles relating to the movement of election materials, are APC leaders in the area.
The council said its concerns were not limited to the individuals named, alleging that a similar pattern existed in the list reportedly prepared for all 30 local government areas of the state.
It argued that persons involved in the transportation, custody and distribution of sensitive election materials should be demonstrably non-partisan to avoid both actual compromise and perceptions of bias.
“We therefore respectfully but firmly call on the Commission to immediately review the list of Coordinators and transport operators and replace any individual whose active partisan affiliation may compromise, or create a perception of compromising the neutrality of the electoral process with credible and demonstrably non-partisan personnel,” the letter stated.
The campaign council said such action would reassure political parties, candidates and voters that INEC remained committed to conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
It also reminded the electoral commission of its constitutional responsibility to ensure fairness, transparency and impartiality throughout the electoral process.
The petition comes days before the August 15 governorship election, in which Adeleke is seeking re-election amid a keen contest involving several political parties, including the APC and Accord Party.
However, INEC had not, in the material available, publicly confirmed the identities, assignments or alleged political affiliations of the individuals named by the campaign council.
The electoral commission had also not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the petition as of the time of filing this report.
The campaign council urged INEC to investigate the claims and take any necessary corrective measures before the deployment of election materials across the state.
