The Maxwell Mgbudem-led Accord Party has expressed confidence in Gov. Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in Saturday’s Osun governorship election, saying the people’s mandate will prevail.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Omorogbe, stated this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Omorogbe said the party was convinced of Adeleke’s victory, citing his developmental strides and achievements during his first term.
He said the party was not intimidated by any forces, insisting that the people of Osun supported Adeleke and Accord.
“The level of our preparedness for the Osun election is high and dynamic. God’s hand is in it, and the victory is for Sen. Ademola Adeleke, with the good works he has done in Osun.
“It is not the election of Adeleke himself. It’s the election of Osun and the opposition.
“We are persuaded as a party that the victory is sure. The voice of the people will speak, and the votes of the people will count.
“We are not moved by the charade of machineries being deployed to Osun to truncate the peaceful process of the election,” he said.
Omorogbe described the election as a defining moment for the state and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free, fair and peaceful process and prompt announcement of results.
“Our expectation is for the election to be free, fair and peaceful. Anything outside that, we are not concerned about it.
“By the grace of God, by Sunday we shall celebrate with the good people of Osun for having re-elected Adeleke for the next four years.
“We, the party national leaders, are all here in Osun for that election, and we’re going to monitor the process very keenly,” he said.
Omorogbe warned against attempts to disrupt the electoral process or intimidate voters, stressing that no political ambition was worth the life of any Osun resident.
He urged the police and other security agencies to remain neutral and adhere strictly to the rules, saying voters would resist malpractice.
“Any foul play in the election will be resisted because the mandate and interest of the people is in Adeleke and the wish of the people is for him to be re-elected.
“We have been in Osun, we have sampled opinion, we have seen the wish of the people that Adeleke must be re-elected,” he said.
Omorogbe urged residents and eligible voters to remain calm, reject vote-buying and turn out en masse to cast their ballots.
He also urged voters to support Adeleke’s re-election to enable him to consolidate his administration’s development programmes.
“We call on the electorate to come out to vote massively for Sen. Adeleke, for the good works he has started and for the next four years, so that he can complete the transformation he has brought to Osun people,” he said.
Omorogbe expressed confidence that celebrations would begin across the state on Sunday following a successful, peaceful and transparent election.
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