Dear Nairalanders,
Attached is an article on the just conclude re-run guber election in Ekiti state. Source: The Nation News paper, 9th of May ,2009.
Excerpts:

A MID tension and police threats to shoot protesters, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Segun Oni was last night declared winner of the April 25 Ekiti rerun governorship election.

At about 9.05p.m., after about a one-hour protest by Action Congress (AC) agents and chieftains, a group of policemen encircled the protesters – some pointing their guns at them.

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mrs Ayoka Adebayo whispered into the ears of the police chief, Yakubu Alkali, who sat beside her.

Alkali nodded his head in response to what she told him and she announced the results: Oni (111,140 votes) and AC candidate Kayode Fayemi (107,017 votes).

Mrs Adebayo declared: "By the power conferred on me by the INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, I hereby return Engr. Segun Oni, PDP candidate, as the winner of the rerun held on 25

th of April, 2009."

Alkali and others formed a shield around Mrs Adebayo and took her away to an undisclosed destination.

Before signing the result sheet, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele warned Mrs Adebayo of the consequences of announcing what he described as a fake result. Echoing him, Lagos lawyer Femi Falana said the result will remain illegal because Mrs Adebayo violated the Electoral Act.

Outside the Christ Girls’ School collation centre, the dark skyline was thickened by smoke from bonfires Opopogboro, Fajuyi and other roads were barricaded as the action spread.

Tempers rose inside the Christ Girls’ School, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, where the final results of the election were collated.

Members of the Action Congress (AC) apparently displeased with the results of Ido-Osi Local Government, where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 15, 939 votes to AC’s 3,793, rejected the tally.

Led by Bimbo Daramola, activist-lawyer Femi Falana, who represented the National Conscience Party (NCP), former Ekiti Governor Niyi Adebayo and Lagos Information Commissioner Opeyemi Bamidele, they condemned the result, describing it as doctored.

They rebuffed appeals by Mrs Adebayo and Alkali to let peace reign as they kept shouting: "One-man-one-vote".

Their action halted the announcement of the final results by the REC for some hours. The situation degenerated, with people rising in turns to speak. Mrs Adebayo and security operatives watched as the drama unfolded.

At a stage, the protesters started singing: "All we are saying, give us real results. All we are saying give us real figures. All we are saying, no more rigging. All we are saying, our votes must count."

Some of the aggrieved people were also chorusing: "If you want to shoot, shoot us. We are ready to die." They also sang the National Anthem.

The Ekiti REC, who eventually caved-in to pressure, admonished the losers of the rerun to go to court, after the electoral officers for Ekiti-East, Ekiti-West, Ikole, Ido-Osi and Oye local governments had announced the results.

"Let us behave in an orderly manner. If anybody is not pleased (with the results), we have the law courts there," said Mrs Adebayo.

Soon after the electoral officer for Ido-Osi had announced the result on the orders of Mrs Adebayo, members of the AC and the NCP raised objections. The electoral officer for the local government, Mr James Akao, said the poll was won by the PDP with 15, 939 as against the AC’s 3,793.

Daramola, representing the AC raised an objection, saying the result was unacceptable to the party.

"We will not accept a result that was cooked up. The 15,939 votes given to the PDP does not reflect the true figures, it does not reflect the trend in the election rerun. My party will not accept this fraudulent election result," Daramola told the REC.

PDP’s agent Senator Kila said the AC should go to court to challenge the outcome of the election.

Falana said the result of the election represents the "travesty of democracy". He urged the REC to act according to her conscience.

Mr Falana told The Nation that a conscious attempt had been made to skew the election in favour of the PDP. "What we see is a deliberate move to skew the election in favour of the PDP and outrightly against the interest of the people of Ekiti. The REC has failed to live by public expectations."

Daramola said the results of Ido-Osi, following the trend of the election could not have been up to 15,000 in all not to talk of one of the contending political parties winning by a wide margin of close to 11,000.

"What we see is an irresponsible effort to undermine the resolution and the desire of Ekiti people. The Ido-Osi results should have been cancelled based on the violence and the fraud associated with the process," he told The Nation.

Election in Ekiti East, Ekiti West, Ikole and Ido-Osi were held on April 25, but the results could not be collated, in view of the disappearance of the 74-year-old REC. The Oye rerun took place yesterday.

The Ekiti REC, who earlier stated that she was under tremendous pressure from undisclosed sources, but promised to work in line with her conscience, as a Christian, could not match her words with action at the crucial moment.

Upholding the controversial results from Ido-Osi which was hit by violence and massive rigging, led to protests at the collation centre.

Fayemi hails from Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area. Oni is from Ifaki-Ekiti in Ido-Osi Local Government Area.

Only three of the 11 wards of Ido-Osi had been collated when violence erupted at the INEC office, following resistance of an attempt to smuggle in already thumb-printed ballot papers by PDP’s supporters. The office was eventually razed.

AC chair Jide Awe said Mrs Adebayo had compromised her position.

He doubted if she could still lay claim to any conscience.

AC leader in the House of Assembly Niyi Afuye said the u-turn by Mrs Adebayo was "confounding", stressing that she finally did the bidding of the PDP.

AC deputy chair Dele Falusi said INEC had finally murdered democracy in Ekiti.

He said posterity would judge Mrs Adebayo.

Daramola said Mrs Adebayo’s action spelled doom for many Ekiti who had expressed confidence in "one man, one vote".

"Is this how you are professing your faith? Where is your conscience now? Have you finally collected the money PDP promised you? As you go out of this place you will be alone in bed with your conscience," Daramola shouted after Mrs Adebayo.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said last night that it did not rig the re-run.

Its National Publicity Secretary Prof. Rufai Alkali said: "We did not rig the poll. Everybody was part of the process and the collation of results was transparent. This is a country you hear of rigging from opponents when they lose election.

"I am sure you are aware that observations on the conduct of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo, came from all parties. These comments and observations drove sense into her and she decided to return to her duty post."

He said Oni’s victory had confirmed that Ekiti is a PDP state.

He said: "The National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, on behalf of the National Working Committee, wishes to congratulate Engr. Segun Oni over his victory at the recent rerun election in Ekiti State.

"We have been vindicated. We have said it before and it has been proven beyond doubt that Ekiti is a PDP state.

"We wish to commend the people of Ekiti State. Despite all the challenges and obstacles, they remained resolute.

"We ask all those who lost out in this election to sheathe their swords and join Governor Oni in rebuilding Ekiti State."