The Factional candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 20 Ondo State governorship election, Jimoh Ibrahim, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of trying exclude him from the election by not accepting his papers as the authentic candidate of the PDP. Addressing a press conference in Abuja Sunday evening, Mr Ibrahim said the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) is not an appeal Court, therefore cannot determine who is the PDP candidate in the election. The business mogul’s claim to being the candidate of the PDP was strengthened last week when an Abuja high Court ruled that the Electoral body should recognise Ibrahim, who was produced by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party. His attempt to file the court judgment was allegedly rebuffed by an official of the party whom he alleged demanded a bribe of one million Dollars from him. But the chief press secretary to the chairman of INEC, Rotimi Oyekunmi denied the allegations saying no demand was made of the candidate.
Speaking further on the matter, Jimoh Ibrahim said though the electoral body had said it will obey the court judgement immediately it was served, the music changed “immediately INEC was served the judgement. ”
After the service, the music changed. INEC should not allow one governor to destroy its reputation. We are not saying that INEC will not obey the court judgement.One of the officials demanded for one million dollar bribe from me to process the court judgement” he alleged. The PDP chieftain who said he had petitioned president Muhammadu Buhari and reported the official to the INEC chairman also demanded the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, saying that he is card carrying member of the PDP. Jimoh said he cannot be trusted to conduct a free and fair election in the state. However, in a reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekunmi said” it is not true that Mrs Babalola demanded one million dollar bribe from Jimoh Ibrahim. Two other officials of INEC witnessed the encounter between Mrs Babalola and Jimoh Ibrahim. Jimoh Ibrahim brought a copy of his judgement and wanted to impress it on INEC to collect it. But we told him that we already have it. It is incharitable and ungodly of businessman of his stature to make this kind of allegation” he said.