- The Kwara State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has strongly rejected the outcome of the Saturday’s bye election in Ekiti, Isin, Oke-Ero and Irepodun Federal Constituenc
Addressing a press conference on Sunday in Ilorin, the Party’s Chairman, Engineer Kola Shittu, said the election was characterised with manipulation, harassment, intimidation and arrest of PDP members by security agents.
Engineer Shittu described the outcome of the election as a daylight robbery and a flagrant violation of electoral laws which does not only negate the existing electoral laws but also against the will of the people of the constituency where the election took place and kwarans in general.
The PDP Chairman however noted that the Party would challenge the outcome of the election legally, saying that the results does not represent the wills of the people as it was manipulated.
He said the Party, prior to the conduct of the election, raised alarm over the deployment of seven hundred Assistant Supretendent of Police, police choppers and importation of political thugs from Lagos and Osun to manipulate the election, saying that the alarm raised manifested during the election.
Engineer Shittu, alleged that Security agents chased PDP supporters away at polling units, paving ways for APC members to manipulate the electoral process.
He condemned outrightly the use of heavy security personnel and intimidation of electorate by security men to cause panic during the election, pointing out that signal danger to the conduct of the general elections next year.
“The PDP condemns in strong terms the conduct of the bye-election also rejects its outcome, as it does not reflect the will of the people of Ekiti, Oke-Ero, Isin and Irepodun Local Government Areas.
“The announcement of the candidate of the APC, Raheem Olawuyi Ajulo-Opin as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission is a daylight robbery, subversion of the will of the people and direct assault on the nation’s democracy.
“Indeed, the election was a contest between the PDP and the security agents, as they both collaborated with the enemies of democracy, APC, to manipulate the electoral process and stole the mandate of the people”, Shittu said.
Engineer Shittu therefore called on international communities, civil society organizations, and other relevant bodies to rise to the situation by disallowing and fighting for electoral fraudulence, while asking All Progressives Congress led Federal Government to conduct fraud free election next year.
He appealed to the supporters of the party to be calm and be more committed to the struggle, saying that the stolen mandate would be recovered through the use of appropriate channel.
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