Senator Rafiu Ibrahim
The lawmaker representing Kwara South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Dr Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim has blamed security agents for the low turnout of voters during the last Saturday’s bye-election in Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Isin/Irepodun Federal Constituency.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, Senator Rafiu said less than 25 per cent of registered voters showed up for the election as a result of harassment and arrest of some members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows that there are 168,707 registered voters within the constituency but only 41,185 participated in the by- election.
The legislator who is a member of the PDP also accused operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) of only protecting members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election.
“Less than 25% of registered voters showed up for the election because of the harassment and arrest going on. The DSS were protecting only members of the ruling party. Let us bring this to the notice of well-meaning Nigerians and the International Community,” he said.
Citing Order 14, Senator Rafiu noted that two days before the election, a police helicopter landed in Omu-Aran, Irepodun local government area to offload some unknown items into the car belonging to the APC candidate in the election, adding that this was done under the direct of the Inspector General of Police.
He also alleged that some members of the PDP were harassed and indiscriminately arrested by security agents and taken to an unknown destination.
Reports have it that a Special Adviser to the Kwara Governor on Agriculture and Rural Water Support Services, Hon. Anu Ibiwoye and his driver were arrested and whisked away by the police while the election was ongoing.
Consequently, the Nigerian Senate directed its Committee on Police and National Intelligence to carry out investigation into the allegations and report back to the Senate.
After the plenary on Wednesday, Senator Rafiu who is the chairman of Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions paid an oversight visit to the offices of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM).
He was accompanied by other members of the Committee.
