By Seyifunmi Odunuga
The Accord party in Oyo State has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over what it described as insufficient ballot papers allotted for the House of Representatives election in Oluyole Federal Constituency during the presidential and National Assembly elections held last Saturday.
The party in the petition to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) by its counsel, Mr. Oladipo Olasope, SAN and dated February 25, said the expected ballot papers for the conduct of the election for the Federal Contituency were supposed to be 130,680 but only 80,766 were provided for the election.
According to the petition titled, “Complain about insufficient Electoral Ballot Papers for House of Representatives Election in Oluyole Federal Constituency, Ibadan, Oyo State,
the shortfall which was 49,904 which represented 38.19 per cent disenfranchised voters in the Oluyole federal constituency election.
It then called on the electoral body to cancel the election, maintaining that the party would not hesitate to approach the electoral tribunal if the injustice is allowed to prevail.
The petition read in part, “We act as solicitors to the Accord party that presented a candidate who contested for the house of representative seat in Oluyole federal constituency in Oyo State.
“At the election purportedly conducted today the 25th day of February 2023 in the oluyole federal constituency, our Local Government Party Collation Officers recorded insufficient ballot papers. This was discovered when the mandatory inspection by Local Government Collation Officers and INEC officials was carried out.
“A complaint was made to AE01 Mrs OLURANTI ABIDEMI IKUDAISI as well as The EO MRS AGNES GRACE OLUWATOMISIN that the house of representative election should be postponed.
“However, despite the complaints, nothing was done and ballot papers were rationed to ward collation centers. The total which should have been brought was 130,680 while the shortfall was 49,904 ballot papers.
“This became apparent because the senate and presidential ballot papers were 130,680 while only 80776 was supplied for reps election leaving a deficit of 49,904. In essence, a total of 49904 eligible voters were disenfranchised in the Oluyole federal constituency contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.”
