Chairmanship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ejigbo LCDA, Lagos, Hon Peter Ajayi, has alleged the LGA party chairman , Alhaji Fatai Kasumu of diverting electoral materials and officials to his house.
Ajayi, who made the accusation while speaking with journalists on Saturday at Ejigbo playing ground, said Kasumu was not neutral in the primaries and that he redirected the officials to unknown areas of the local government.
He said over 30 of his supporters were unduly arrested by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area but that with his intervention they were later released.
Ajayi explained that the incumbent chairman induced the electoral process in a manner that contravenes the APC guidelines, adding that open membership cards were hoarded, thugs instigated and umpires were from the camp.
He added that the electoral officials were substituted with party LGA executives and Ward executives who are loyalists.
” The Electoral and Retruning Officers left Acme at about 8am and got to Ejigbo at 8:45am but up till now, they are in the house of the LGA Chairman, Alhaji Fatai Kasumu. This is 12noon they have not started the process and people are not happy.
” Some of my supporters were arrested for doing nothing by the Ejigbo LCDA and I have called him to release them. This shows my opponent has influenced him. Those arrested are not thugs, they are eligible party members with cards to vote.
He said ” Based on reports reaching me, the names of party executives who are been used as electoral officials by Alhaji Kasumu are Agiri Adeola, Akeem Oduyoye and Olabisi Muritala (Oke Afa ward), Hon. Jimoh Aleshinloye (Fadu Ward) while Olufemi Ibine popularly known as BamBam is used to intimidate and harass my supporters in Oke Afa ward”.
Ajayi said at the polling units, the electoral officials were telling voters on who to vote for.
As at the time of filing this report, thugs in hundreds with dangerous weapons were seen disrupting the election.