The party described the outcome of the election as a robbery and did not reflect the will of the people, saying that its members were harassed and intimidated during the poll.
Addressing a press conference in Ilorin yesterday, the state PDP Chairman, Engr Kola Shittu further described the election as a charade and direct assault on the nation’s democracy.
Shittu, who was flanked by the state publicity secretary of the PDP, Tunde Ashaolu noted that some of the concerns raised by the party prior to the conduct of the election, which included alleged importation of thugs and heavy deployment of security personnel later manifested during the poll.
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He lamented that the poll was characterised by ballot box snatching, widespread irregularities and illegal arrest of members of the PDP before and while the election was ongoing.
Shittu, however, called for an outright cancellation of the election because it fell short of the expectations of the people of the constituency.
He added that the brazen subversion of the will of the people, which the outcome of the election represented was an indication that the APC led federal government was not ready to deliver free, fair and credible elections in 2019.
“The PDP condemns in strong terms the conduct of the bye-election also rejects its outcome, as it does not reflect the will of the people of Ekiti, Oke-Ero, Isin and Irepodun Local Government Areas.
“The announcement of the candidate of the APC, Raheem Olawuyi Ajulo-Opin as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission is a daylight robbery, subversion of the will of the people and a direct assault on the nation’s democracy.
“Indeed, the election was a contest between the PDP and the security agents, as they both collaborated with the enemies of democracy, APC, to manipulate the electoral process and stole the mandate of the people,” Shittu said.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the candidate of the APC as the winner of the election.
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