By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the outcome of the last Saturday’s local government election in the State, describing it as a “desecration of democracy, a waste of taxpayers’ money and an elevation of fraud to heights never witnessed before in the State”.
The PDP, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, while a accusing
the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) of connivance with the State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) to manipulate the election and subvert the people’s will, called for “immediate cancellation of the election and conduct of a fresh poll, or it will explore legal means to restore the stolen mandate of the people”.
The party also called for a properly constituted tribunal to be headed by a judge of the High Court, as required by the law, while rejecting the one set up by the AbdulRazaq administration for allegedly falling short of constitutional stipulation.
The PDP berated KWSIEC for “allowing itself to be used in the conduct of a shoddy election, which denied over 85% of the voters their right to vote in polling units across the 16 local government areas of the State”.
The statement read: “The crude manner in which the ruling APC government, in connivance with a highly compromised Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC), usurped the people’s mandate to elect their local leaders has left Kwarans frustrated and aggrieved.
“KWSIEC’s actions on election day not only fell short of the minimum global standards expected of an election umpire but also openly facilitated and participated in the desecration of democracy that occurred across Kwara State.
“Elections did not take place in about 85% of polling units and wards across the 16 local government areas of the state. The people rejected an orchestrated plot to use the few ballot papers released to some polling units as a basis for authenticating a premeditated outcome.”
The PDP added: “Where elections were held, the people massively voted for PDP candidates, and in several instances, they were declared winners before KWSIEC officials reversed these victories in a shocking display of impunity.
“In Kwara Central and parts of Kwara North, particularly in Patigi Local Government, PDP candidates won resoundingly. KWSIEC officials validly sorted, counted, and declared our candidates victorious, with some of these moments captured and shared on social media.
“However, these victories were magically overturned. The results, which were declared in favour of PDP candidates in places like Ilorin West, Ilorin South, Ilorin East, and Asa LG, were manipulated, with cooked-up figures announced to favour APC candidates.
“The case in Patigi Local Government was particularly shameful. The Electoral Officer (EO) was kidnapped by the APC thugs, forced into a room, and made to declare PDP’s results invalid under duress. This video, which has been circulated widely, shows an EO speaking against his will. Despite this, the same invalid results were later announced in favour of APC, even though no new election took place,’ he said.
The PDP further stated that the situation was the same in Kwara South Senatorial district, as voters across almost all polling units refused to allow voting, due to the failure of KWSIEC to provide election result sheets and complete ballot papers.