- The PDP claimed armed security personnel assaulted voters and snatched ballot boxes during Kaura Namoda South by-election held on August 16.
- INEC declared election inconclusive in five polling units despite PDP’s “overwhelming victory,” a decision opposition says favours APC.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission against announcing any result from the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency by-election that fails to reflect the will of the people.
The opposition party alleged that the All Progressives Congress-led government used security operatives to intimidate voters and disrupt the process.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the PDP national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, claimed that armed personnel assaulted voters and carted away ballot boxes during the August 16 exercise.
He said despite the PDP’s “clear lead” in the poll, INEC declared the election inconclusive in five polling units, which the party described as an attempt to tilt the process in favour of the APC.
“Available reports reveal that the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency by-election was marred by massive intimidation, threats, and harassment of voters by APC-controlled security agencies,” Ologunagba said.
Ahead of Thursday’s rerun, the PDP alleged that heavy deployment of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Mobile Police, and DSS had been made across the affected polling units.
Ologunagba insisted that such deployment was designed to scare citizens from exercising their franchise.
“The aim of this deployment is to intimidate, terrorise, and prevent the people from coming out to vote, having realised that the APC has been soundly rejected by the people of Zamfara State,” he said.
The PDP further alleged that the ruling party intends to use the security agencies to pressure INEC officials and manipulate the process.
“Intelligence available to our party reveals that the APC intends to use the security agencies to prevent INEC from conducting a free, fair, and credible election,” Ologunagba said.
He described the development as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy and stability.
“The implication of this ugly development is that it constitutes a clear and present danger to democracy, stability, and the corporate existence of our country,” he added.
The PDP urged Nigerians and the international community to pay close attention to what it described as APC’s resort to intimidation in elections.
“Our party invites Nigerians and the international community to note that the APC’s resort to state-backed intimidation and force in elections is a clear signal of creeping totalitarianism and one-party rule,” Ologunagba said.
He declared that the PDP and Zamfara people would reject any outcome that contradicts the results already collated in Kaura Namoda South.
“The PDP and the people of Zamfara State will not accept any result that is at variance with the expressed will of the people. We therefore call on President Tinubu to immediately halt this APC plot to undermine democracy and subvert the people’s sovereign will.
“It is clear, and the APC should know, that Zamfara is a PDP state, and the people are standing firmly with the PDP and Governor Dauda Lawal,” he said.