The Former forum for Democratic Change candidate in the recently concluded Omoro LCV Chairperson election Simon Toolit Akecha has refused to concede defeat to independent candidate Peter Okello Okao who was declared winner.
The Omoro District electoral commission registrar Mr Denis Obong on Tuesday morning declared Okao winner of the hotly contested LCV Chairperson seat with 5,526 votes while Mr Toolit came second with 5,461 votes. The difference between the two was only 65 votes.
Mr Toolit said that the election results declared didn’t reflect the correct figures stating that the electoral commission connived with Mr Okello to rig his votes.
The Gulu district FDC Chairperson however didn’t provide his ‘correct figure’ which he claims show that he won.
Mr Okao was former Gulu district NRM Chairperson but denounced the party in July this year. His triumph is seen as result of the support he received from some senior FDC officials in Gulu district who abandoned their flag bearer Mr Toolit.
Speaking for the first time after the Monday’s election, Mr Toolit maintained he will not concede defeat or recognize Mr Okao as a duly elected Omoro district Chairperson citing he was fraudulently declared winner.
“I should have been the one to be declared winner but due to the connivance of EC with NRM government, they chose to declare Okao. What has happened I don’t call it defeat but malice,” Mr Toolit told Acholi Times in an interview Wednesday.
Mr Toolit claimed that his polling agents where chased away from the polling stations of Awor and Parak in Lakwana sub-county arguing that he believes the votes were altered from there to malice him.
“I want to make it clear that I will not accept this election results and I will not have any close ties working with the elected LCV Chairperson,” Mr Toolit said.
He, however, failed to give convincing details on what he will do to get ‘justice’ following his failure to win the election.
Asked whether the concluded election was his last shot in politics, Mr Toolit said he cannot speculate whether it’s his last time or not in politics.
“I can’t speculate that I will retire from politics because I am a leader and leaders’ don’t retire. But to say that I will not participate in the next election [2021], it’s really hard because you never know whether God will let you live or not,” Mr Toolit said.
Mr Obong, the Omoro District registrar however said Mr Toolit’s allegations were baseless arguing that if he feels disenfranchised, he should follow the legal processes of lodging his complaints to the electoral commission.
FDC’s Publicity secretary for Omoro and Gulu District Mr Oyat Chaga said they are still in the process of gathering evidences adding that once they are done, they will seek legal redress.
About Mr Toolit
Mr Toolit was former Omoro county MP in Gulu district from 2006 to 2011.
He was defeated by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah in the 2011 general elections.
Toolit’s attempt to make a comeback in the politics of Omoro was again thwarted by Oulanyah who defeated him in the February 18 Parliamentary elections.
Mr Toolit also lost an election petition case against Mr Oulanyah at the Gulu High court before Mbarara Resident Judge, Justice David Matovu.
Mr toolit had accused Oulanyah and the Electoral Commission [EC] of conniving to deny him votes in the February 18 parliamentary elections.
Other candidates included Robert Mugabe [PPP] 196, Stephen Odong Latek [NRM] 4,758, and Godfrey Oryem [Ind] 3,970.
