A former presidential candidate of the defunct National Conscience Party (NCP), Chief Martin Onovo, has advised Osun Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to remain confident and ensure that every vote counts in the August 15 governorship election.
Onovo, a member of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), said Adeleke had a strong chance of securing re-election in a free, fair and credible poll.
Onovo, Head of Policy Positions at the Movement for Fundamental Change, spoke in an interview on Wednesday in Lagos.
He, however, cautioned the governor against complacency, saying his greatest responsibility was to safeguard the electoral process and prevent manipulation.
“In a free and fair election, I believe the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of Osun, will win the Aug. 15 gubernatorial election in the state because we have engaged people from different political blocs and many are supportive.
“However, he must remain confident and prepare adequately. His biggest challenge is ensuring that votes are protected and counted.
“As an incumbent, he has an advantage that should help him prevent manipulation rather than waiting to challenge results after the election,” Onovo told NAN.
The former presidential candidate said Adeleke should take full advantage of the benefits of incumbency to defend his mandate instead of relying on post-election litigation.
He added that he was willing to offer strategic advice to the governor if approached, without attaching any conditions.
Onovo added: “Unfortunately, the governor seems to be losing confidence.
“It looks like the governor is afraid of them, but in a free and fair contest, he should win because we have spoken with different political blocs in the state as opposition parties and they are clearly for his re-election.
“If he doesn’t have the confidence to win, then he cannot win. He needs to have the confidence to win.”
Onovo urged the governor and his supporters to anticipate every possible challenge before, during and after the election to prevent any attempt to undermine the people’s mandate.
He stressed that protecting votes at polling units and throughout the collation process would be more effective than contesting disputed results in court.
He added:”If out of fear he concedes it to the APC, it is his fault.
“As a sitting governor, Adeleke has advantages that should make it easier for him to win and prevent rigging.
“He is ahead in the game. What he needs is confidence. He should be able to defend his mandate and make sure the votes count. The biggest task for Adeleke is to ensure votes count.”
