BY DAYO JOHNSON

AKURE—AHEAD of the Saturday Ilaje/ Ese Odo Federal Constituency by- election in Ondo State, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  yesterday, alleged plan by the ruling government to rig the election in collaboration with security operatives and militants.

But the Labour Party, LP, in a swift reaction described the allegation by the opposition party as not only panicky but defeatist.
PDP state Chairman, Ebenezer Alabi, while addressing newsmen in Akure, claimed the rigging plans included delay in release of ballot materials to the strong units of the opposition parties.

Alabi listed other rigging plans to include cancellation/invalidation of results of units with overwhelming votes for the opposition parties and creation of false alarm of insecurity to relocate collation centre to Akure. The party alleged general monetisation of the electoral process of leaders and other strategic stakeholders.

Alabi said the PDP was committed to the principle of free and fair election and not asking “anyone to rig for us.  We are merely asking for a level playing ground and neutrality of Military men on election duties.”

The party also called on authorities concerned “ to do so in an openly unbiased and transparently neutral manner,” and warned that the party “will never remain idle while our interest is being jeopardised. Enough is Enough.”

However, State Chairman of the LP, Chief Dele Akinyele, said the PDP was only crying wolf and expressing fears of losing the election.
Akinyele said: “It is the PDP controlled federal government that controls the security agencies and not the state government controlled by the LP.”

According to him, the LP had always won the elections in the local governments because of the impressive performance of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
He added that the opposition should provide evidence of plans to manipulate the election or keep quiet.