KWARA BYE-ELECTION: APC sending wrong signals about 2019 polls — Saraki, Ahmed

In his reaction to the bye-election, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki said the “open intimidation and harassment of voters” during the poll is sending a wrong signal ahead of the 2019 general elections.
In a series of posts on his Twitter page on Saturday, Saraki accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of bringing security operatives and thugs into the state to intimidate voters, which resulted in a low turnout.
He said the election was held under “tensed and militarised conditions”, while security operatives openly supported the APC and harassed PDP leaders and their supporters.
The Senate President added that even officials of INEC complained about their own safety.
He said such “open display of intimidation and misuse of security operatives” will undermine democracy if not checked.
“We thank the people of Ekiti/Oke Ero/Isin/Irepodun who came out to vote today — defying the heavy intimidation and the siege laid by the security agents and thugs invited into the four local governments by the APC.
“The public should note that today’s bye-election was simply between PDP and security agents plus APC. This was due to the heavy deployment of police, soldiers and other security agents who gathered to support APC and harass PDP leaders and supporters. This is the first time that elections in Kwara State will be held under such charged, tensed and militarised conditions. We had INEC officials complaining about their own safety — and PDP supporters were brazenly intimidated, which resulted in low turnout of voters.
“It is important to reiterate that ahead of the 2019 elections, such open displays of intimidation are sending wrong signals. Our democracy is being undermined with this misuse of our nation’s security apparatus”, he added.
Similarly, Governor Abdultfatah Ahmed of Kwara State described the election as a contest between the PDP and security agencies.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Muyideen Akorede, Ahmed said, “Reports available to the governor from the four local government areas in which elections were held indicated wide-spread harassment, arrests and intimidation of PDP members and supporters by security personnel.”
He, however, commended PDP members and supporters across the federal constituency for standing their ground and defying the threats posed by the security agents by coming out to exercise their franchise at the risk of harm and arrest.
He said the heightened fear and intimidation orchestrated against PDP members and supporters and abetted by security agents led to voter apathy and poor turn-out in the areas that are traditional strong-holds of the party”.

Ajulo-Opin, Alatise speak

The declared winner of Saturday’s bye-election in Kwara, Raheem Olawuyi (Ajulo-Opin), has described his victory as one for residents of the state.
He said the success was a sign of more victories to come for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections in Kwara.
He said this in Omu-Aran, Kwara State on Sunday while reacting to the outcome of the poll.
“This is a happy moment for me because we have been doing this for a long time. When your time has come, no one can stop you but at the same time, I give glory to God, because it is the best time Allah has created for me.
“My party believed in me to put me forward for the assignment and I thank God I have delivered,” he said.
Olawuyi, who described the APC as the best in Africa, said he was never scared of defeat because he is a grassroots politician that is loved by his people.
He said because of the love of his people, he will always defeat his opponents in a free and fair election.
He commended the electorate for the spirit they have demonstrated and urged them to continue with it in the next year’s election.
When contacted after the election, the flag bearer of the PDP, Jimoh Saheed Alatise told National Pilot that he has no comment over outcome of the election for now.
Alatise who won his polling unit in Igangu, Omu-Aran also won the election in Ekiti local government.

Card readers affected voters – Bisi Fakayode

In his reaction, the Special Adviser on Students and Labour Matters to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Comrade Bisi Fakayode, said the issue of card readers malfunctioning affected many voters especially those loyal to the PDP.
He said “though the arrangement in Arandun was initially peaceful, the issue of card readers in places like Polling Unit 001, 007, 009 in Arandun affected many of the voters”.

Heavy security presence scared voters – Owolewa

Former chairman of Irepodun Local Government, Lukman Owolewa in his submission stressed that the heavy presence of security scared many people from voting.
“We voted in the midst of heavy presence of security operatives, though, no one has been harassed here but their presence means a lot.”

Heavy security presence needless – Babaoye

In the same vein, a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly representing Irepodun constituency, Hon. Matthew Babaoye who voted at Oro ward 2, corroborated Owolewa saying that the number of security operatives on ground for the poll was alarming.
“The security on ground made it appeared as if we were still in the old era, when we were not using card reader. With the emergence of card reader, we don’t need large number of police again. We have many security operatives on ground and one could not say whether they’re impersonating or not.

Our party agents ordered to sign compromised results – Tajudeen Bada

Also in Oro, former council boss, Alhaji Tajudeen Bada accused the ruling APC of causing crisis in his ward.
He said, “Some thugs who were members of APC suddenly stormed our centre, poured ballot papers inside the box and ordered our party agents to sign that the election was free and fair. What was done here was also repeated at the polling booth in community school.
“Many of our party members especially the women were beaten. Our agents who ran away because they did not want to sign the compromised result have now been declared wanted by the police. One of our members who was also affected is Sherrif Agboola, the immediate past councillor of our ward, he was matcheted on the head.

APC too desperate to win – Irepodun council boss

For the Chairman of Irepodun Local Government, Hon. Muyiwa Oladipupo, he said, “the election was free and fair but the APC were just too desperate to win the poll and that is why they devised all possible means.”

Voters turnout, voting impressive, says INEC

According to the Publicity Secretary of INEC, Barr. Jacob Ayanda, the “election was impressive because of the turnout of the voters.  We were able to maintain our appellation as the state of harmony and people from other state like Niger said they were so surprised that despite the tension a day before the election, people still came out to vote. He added that the commission responded to the complaints of the card readers not authenticating voters.

Final Result from the Four (4) LGAs

* IREPODUN LG
APC: 9,931
PDP: 7,880
* OKE ERO LG
APC: 4,315
PDP: 4,222
* EKITI LG
APC: 3,552
PDP: 3,603
* ISIN LG
APC: 3,372
PDP: 2,681
TOTAL
APC: 21,170
PDP: 18,386