The general elections conducted on March 28th and April 11th 2015 was adjudged to be free and fair by many observers. The United States of America’s president, Barack Obama also commended the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega for his outstanding and sterling performance during the elections saying what the professor of political science had done deserves emulation by all.
In a sharp contrast,
the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) Ogun-state House of Assembly candidate for
Yewa-South/Egbado constituency Mr. Dolapo Olayinka Olaofe has alleged his
deliberate disenfranchisement by INEC to favour the PDP in the April 11th
general elections.
In an exclusive interview with
Metro-TimesNG at his residence in Ago-Eyo, Owo, Oke-Odan ward, Yewa-South,
Abeokuta, Ogun-state, Yinka Olaofe expressed dissatisfaction over the
deliberate removal of his name from the list of candidates contesting in the
elections describing it (the election) as a sham.
May we meet you?
My name is Dolapo Olayinka
Olaofe. I contested under the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in
the just concluded general elections for Yewa-South/Egbado-South, Ogun-state.
The last election was adjudged by
many to be one of the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. America’s president,
Barack Obama also commended the INEC boss, Prof. Jega for doing the magic. Do you
share the same view with this set of people?
By Nigeria’s standard; by our
past or pseudo-election standards, the 2015 election has much to praise but it
will be overrating it to say it is free and fair. I mean, what are the criteria
used in arriving at those conclusions? For instance in my own case, I realized late
in the day (April 11th) that my name was not on the list of
candidates that are supposed to contest in the election even though my party’s
name and logo was on the ballot paper and I was duly voted for. There are so
many issues here and there and we still have a lot to do terms of our electoral
reforms. So, as far as I am concerned, the election was far from being free and
fair.
You said your name was omitted from
the list of contestants, why was that?
My name was omitted and it is a
deliberate attempt to disenfranchise me in other to favour the PDP candidate. How
else do you explain the fact that my party’s logo was printed on the ballot
paper and I was voted en-masse but my votes were voided by INEC who refused to
count all votes casted for me and UPN saying my name was not on the list of
contestants? When I went to their (INEC) office in Ogun-state, I was told the
mistake is from Abuja. INEC collaborated with PDP to steal my mandate and
disenfranchise the good people of my constituency and am determined to get it
back through the court.
Do you think your party UPN might have played a role in the entire scenario?
No….I honestly disagree with that
because my party did all necessary things expected of it. We had our forms
filled and submitted, we had our clearance on the 25th of December,
2014…….so I will not blame my party on this one.
How popular do you think you are
when it comes to Ogun-state politics?
I am indeed very very popular and
I believe that if my name was not “omitted” and the votes were counted I would have
gotten more votes than the declared winner…….by that I mean I would have won
the election.
How far are you willing to go
with this case?
I am willing to go the extra
mile; doing the right thing to ensure that justice is served. The case is at
the tribunal at the moment and God willing we will get a date for the hearing
very soon. Mandate belongs to the people and we cannot allow the electoral
umpire to take it away from them.
What prompted your decision to go
into politics?
I felt it is time to get directly
involved in politics so I can bring about the desired change in Ogun-state. We cannot
continue to sit on the fence and watch things go bad while we complain. I mean,
it is our duty to serve our people and that prompted my decision to go into
politics. It is about service for me.
More photos after the cut:
Form CF001 filled and stamped by INEC
More photos after the cut:
INEC office, Ilaro, Ogun-State
Campaign Materials
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