Accreditation of voters at a polling unit during the by-election in Kano | File photo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the by-election in Zamfara state was marred by voter intimidation and interference by security agencies.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the August 16 by-election in the state inconclusive due to alleged irregularities.
The electoral umpire subsequently fixed August 21 (today) for the supplementary election in the affected polling units in the state’s Kaura Namoda south constituency.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) used security operatives to disrupt the exercise, preventing voters from freely exercising their rights.
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He said photographs and videos from polling units showed incidents of harassment of voters and ballot box snatching.
Ologunagba claimed the PDP won the election before it was declared inconclusive.
The PDP spokesperson alleged that heavy military and paramilitary personnel have been deployed to the constituency ahead of the supplementary poll.
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“This nefarious deployment aims to foist a siege mentality on the people of the constituency, intimidate, terrorise and prevent them from coming out to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote, having realised that the people of Zamfara state have soundly rejected the APC,” he said.
Ologunagba alleged that the deployment of military personnel will influence the election in favour of the APC.
He asked President Bola Tinubu to immediately halt the alleged plan to militarise the supplementary election.
The spokesperson said the party will not accept any results that do not reflect the aspirations of the people of the state.
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