Osun ReRun:  Omisore Denies Alliance With Any Party

Candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore has denied rumours milling around that he is planning to join force with a particular party as Osun State goes to rerun in the gubernatorial election this Thursday.

The election held on Saturday was declared inconclusive by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) because the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin between the two top candidates – Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Adeleke led the race with 254,698 votes, while Oyetola had 254,345 votes. INEC failed to declare winner because the margin of his victory was only 353 votes, and could not earn him victory when weighed against the number of votes cancelled, which amounted to 3,498 votes.

Seven polling units in four local governments were affected in the cancellation, Orolu, Osogbo, Ife North and Ife South Local Governments.

Some political analysts believe Omisore who comes from Ife axis of the state could influence the outcome of the rerun in the two local governments in Ife. To this end, he is seen as a bride to court by either the APC or PDP.

But in a swift reaction on his twitter handle, Omisore who came third in the results declared on Sunday by INEC warned that “Please disregard all rumour of any alliance talks with any party/candidate for now. Osun will be great again.”

Continued the former deputy governor of Osun State said: “The SDP shall not leave the Osun state to corrupt wheeler dealers but shall continue to commit to social justice and equity until we can be assured that our electoral processes are sanitized and give us the state of our dreams I thank you all.

“We shall continue to invest on democratic education and political awareness of our people, so vote buying is totally eliminated in the most peaceful and democratic ways.

“Our people’s votes have again been manipulated through vote buying, and exploitation of the hunger in our land. Only good governance and committed leadership can drive out this hunger. The quest for this continues.

“The reaction was swift albeit as a ploy to win votes. Our campaign prompted payment of salaries, a commitment to push back on common uniforms and questionable mega schools. We have called attention to patronage driven public sector management.”