It said the withdrawal was inevitable based on abnormalities observed in the decision of the Ondo State government to forcefully conduct the poll.
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in Ondo State has withdrawn its participation in the forthcoming April 23rd, 2016 Local Government Council elections in the State.
It said the withdrawal was inevitable based on abnormalities observed in the decision of the Ondo State government to forcefully conduct the poll.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Ayo Isijola, and Secretary, Muyiwa Odebiyi, issued on Wednesday, CNPP said the election is highly suspicious and ill timed with less than a year to end the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
The statement, obtained by SaharaReporters, wondered how the government would conduct a credible and transparent local council poll with just nine months to the State governorship election in the State.
The Conference decried the levy at which the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) imposed levies on aspirants for the participation of the local government council election.
"We view with contempt the N20,000 fee for Counselors and N50,000 for Chairmanship aspirants. Why is the ODIEC charging this fee? After all, INEC never charged a kobo for any aspirant contesting for political offices in the election,” it queried.
The CNPP also asked the Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government to use the fund earmarked for the council poll to pay the outstanding salaries of workers and retirees' remuneration.
"It is disheartening and confusing to all right thinking people of Ondo State why the State Government could not pay workers because ‘we have no reason to be poor going by our abundant endowed resources.’”
The statement further lamented that the bailout fund released by the Federal Government to Ondo State for the purpose of paying the workers and pensioners was not utilized for its purpose.