The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the results of last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
Its action is based on reports from the party’s polling agents across the state which indicated that the electoral process was characterised by massive anomalies that put the credibility of the exercise in doubt.
In a statement by the state PDP chairman, Mr. Kola Shittu, said it took the decision after a thorough review of the conduct of the elections, which he said was marred by widespread irregularities in different parts of the state.
He said: “Although the election was largely peaceful as there was no record of violence in any part of the state, our agents reported that the exercise was fraught with several discrepancies such as card readers’ failure, over-voting and inflation of figures.
“In addition, our agents were also harassed and intimidated by some compromised security officials for complaining that card readers were not used for voting in their polling units.
“For the avoidance of doubt, in over 70 per cent of polling units across the state, card readers were not used for voting as they only verified voters but could not authenticate their fingerprints, which led to the use of manual screening of voters. This gave room for the perpetuation of electoral fraud in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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“We also received report of how APC agents made use of unclaimed PVCs to vote at some polling units across the state particularity within Kwara Central. Also, many of the local observers accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the election were APC members.
“Additionally, prior to the day of the election, the federal government-backed APC made some retrogressive and undemocratic moves, using state apparatus to intimidate and arrest some of our members and supporters in some parts of the state’’.
“Of particular note was the Kwara senatorial candidate of our party, Dr. Rafiu Ibrahim, who was arrested and unlawfully detained by the police less than 48 hours to the commencement of an election he was a major contender. This was apparently done to keep him out of circulation and give his opponent undue advantage.
“From the foregoing, election held in Kwara over the weekend cannot be said to be free, fair and credible. And it is on this basis that our party is rejecting the results of the presidential and National Assembly election announced by INEC. The outcome of the exercise did not in any way represent the wishes of majority of the electorate,” Shittu said.
The party a asked the public to disregard fake online report that its governorship candidate, Hon. Razak Atunwa, has pulled out of the governorship race.
