They are about to buy this election — APGA candidate, Ayodele cries out
All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), candidate, Ambassador Ayodeji Ayodele has expressed worry over the role the use of money could play in determining the outcome of the polls, adding that if not checked, the eventual winner may not reflect the real choice of the people.
Ambassador Ayodeji Ayodele
In an exclusive chat with Vanguard on Wednesday, Ayodele called for strict compliance to the electoral umpire’s regulations on the use of money, arguing that competence and readiness to deliver the dividends of democracy should be the yardstick in the choice of the governor of the state, rather than money or godfathers
He promised to turn around the economy of the state if elected, through mechanized agriculture as well as creating multiple windows of credit to fund small and medium scale enterprises. Ekiti, according to him, would only take her place in the sun, if creative energies of the people and state resources are harnessed efficiently and effectively by a result-driven government.
“If you look at the desperation which led these candidates to spend an unreasonable amount of money to get the people’s vote; it is worrisome. It is bribery; let’s call a spade a spade. If you read the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regulations on bribery, the use of money for the conduct of politics is a violation, but this is a country where rules are made but not obeyed. If not, by now, some of them should have been in jail with the kind of money they have put in the political process.
“My fear is that democracy may be endangered, state power might be used to ignore the voice of the people through their votes, and we might have an announcement of fictitious figures which may not reflect the will of the people,” he said.
On the source of funding of his campaign, the APGA chieftain said he has been relying on private resources, adding however that external support would be appreciated as well.
“So far, we have been funding the campaign from private resources; we are also looking forward to people to support us. But I think we all have the responsibility to de-emphasize the role of money in politics, and in Ekiti, a few individuals have used the money to confuse people. We are teaching them that the money they give them will not feed them for up to a week,” he added
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Ambassador Ayodeji Ayodele
In an exclusive chat with Vanguard on Wednesday, Ayodele called for strict compliance to the electoral umpire’s regulations on the use of money, arguing that competence and readiness to deliver the dividends of democracy should be the yardstick in the choice of the governor of the state, rather than money or godfathers
He promised to turn around the economy of the state if elected, through mechanized agriculture as well as creating multiple windows of credit to fund small and medium scale enterprises. Ekiti, according to him, would only take her place in the sun, if creative energies of the people and state resources are harnessed efficiently and effectively by a result-driven government.
“If you look at the desperation which led these candidates to spend an unreasonable amount of money to get the people’s vote; it is worrisome. It is bribery; let’s call a spade a spade. If you read the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regulations on bribery, the use of money for the conduct of politics is a violation, but this is a country where rules are made but not obeyed. If not, by now, some of them should have been in jail with the kind of money they have put in the political process.
“My fear is that democracy may be endangered, state power might be used to ignore the voice of the people through their votes, and we might have an announcement of fictitious figures which may not reflect the will of the people,” he said.
On the source of funding of his campaign, the APGA chieftain said he has been relying on private resources, adding however that external support would be appreciated as well.
“So far, we have been funding the campaign from private resources; we are also looking forward to people to support us. But I think we all have the responsibility to de-emphasize the role of money in politics, and in Ekiti, a few individuals have used the money to confuse people. We are teaching them that the money they give them will not feed them for up to a week,” he added
We bring the news to you as it comes.....
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