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Zamfara By-Election: Political Heavyweights Accuse Rivals of Militarizing Polls

Published 6 days ago3 minute read
Pelumi Ilesanmi
Pelumi Ilesanmi
Zamfara By-Election: Political Heavyweights Accuse Rivals of Militarizing Polls

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the conduct of the by-election in Zamfara state, alleging widespread voter intimidation and interference by security agencies. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) initially declared the August 16 by-election in the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency inconclusive due to reported irregularities. Consequently, a supplementary election was scheduled for August 21 in the affected polling units.

Debo Ologunagba, the PDP's National Publicity Secretary, held a press conference where he accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating the disruption of the electoral exercise through the use of security operatives. He claimed that this strategy aimed to prevent voters from freely exercising their democratic rights, citing photographic and video evidence of voter harassment and ballot box snatching at polling units. Ologunagba maintained that the PDP had already secured victory in the election before INEC's declaration of inconclusiveness.

Ahead of the supplementary poll, the PDP spokesperson alleged a massive deployment of military and paramilitary personnel to the constituency. This "nefarious deployment," as described by Ologunagba, was intended to create a "siege mentality" among the populace, intimidate them, and deter them from voting, particularly as the APC had purportedly been "soundly rejected" by the people of Zamfara state. The PDP asserted that this militarization of the election was designed to influence the outcome in favor of the APC.

INEC's National Commissioner for Information, Sam Olumekun, had previously stated that the affected polling units collectively held 3,572 registered voters, with 3,265 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) collected. The margin of lead between the two leading candidates was 1,662, necessitating a supplementary election as per Section 24(3) and (4) of the Electoral Act 2022. The five specific polling units declared inconclusive were identified as Alko/Shiyar Kudu PU, Sakajiki Ward; ShiyarMagaji/Kofar Hamza PU, Kyambarawa Ward; Shiyar Nufawa/kofar MD Nuhu PU, Sakajiki Ward; Tukasu/Sabuwar Kasuwa PU, Kyambarawa Ward; and Kofar Fada/Shiyar Fada PU, Kyambarawa Ward.

The PDP further alleged that a Minister from Zamfara State was involved in the alleged deployment of battalions from the Army, Navy, Airforce, Mobile Police Force, and Directorate of State Services (DSS) from Abuja and other parts of the country to these five polling units. The party's intelligence suggested that security agencies would be used to bully INEC officials and manipulate results to contradict the expressed will of the people. The PDP warned that such developments under President Tinubu's watch posed a "clear and present danger to democracy, stability and cooperate existence" of Nigeria, emphasizing the resilient nature of Zamfara people.

The party viewed the APC's alleged reliance on state-backed intimidation and force as a sign of "creeping totalitarianism and one-party State," a scenario they deemed a "recipe for crisis." The PDP urged Nigerians and the international community to hold the APC responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency or any part of Zamfara State. Firmly, the PDP declared that it, along with the people of Zamfara State, would not accept any results that deviate from the authentic will of the people, as evidenced by already collated results. They reiterated that Zamfara State is a PDP stronghold, with citizens supporting Governor Dauda Lawal's developmental programs.

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