PDP could not win Bayelsa, Kogi elections by violence ― APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that its main rival, the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) was responsible for the incidents of violence that characterised the weekend governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa States.

The APC made the allegation in a statement issued last night and signed by its spokesman, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu.

The party further alleged that hoodlums were brought from Osun and Oyo states, few days to the election to unleash violence in Kogi State while the same sinister plot was planned ahead the weekend election in Bayelsa State.

Onilu commended the police for minimizing the impact of the violence while he appealed to his party faithful in the two states to remain calm and be law-abiding ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) official announcement of the winner of the weekend elections in the two states.

The statement read in part: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) hails our security agencies for the security arrangements put in place for Saturday’s Governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States.

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“We are aware of several hoodlums brought into Kogi State from Osun and Oyo States few days before the elections, just as we monitored the grand preparation to unleash violence in Bayelsa State. We are delighted that the forces of darkness have failed. The subterfuge deployed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the election in both states, including the Kogi West senatorial rerun election was thwarted.

“In Kogi and Bayelsa states, we were certain of securing the majority votes for the two governorship seats and the Kogi West senatorial seat. For this, we knew we must ensure a peaceful atmosphere for voters to freely turn out and exercise their franchise. As expected, not being in the tradition of PDP to thrive under orderly and credible electoral process, they did their best to discredit the process. “We are glad that the voting processes came to a successful end in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

“The Party thanks security agencies and other officials who did their best to minimize the impact of the PDP thugs whose sole agenda was to create chaos and scare voters from coming out to vote. Of course, the PDP did not achieve their objective of winning through violence.

“We note the effort by the PDP to employ their usual manipulation through ballot box snatching, massive thumb printing of ballot papers and vote-buying. We also note, for instance, the video now in circulation of self-help ballot paper thumb printing at the polling unit of the PDP governorship candidate, Musa Wada and vote-buying by the PDP’s Senatorial candidate, Dino Melaye.

“We thank all our supporters for standing their ground to protect the ballot and ensure the credibility of the electoral process. While we wait for the collation process to complete and for the final results to be announced, we urge our members in both states to remain calm and peaceful.”