APC, PDP trade words over Delta bye-election - PUNCH

October 14, 2013 by Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja 

The All Progress Congress and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party have disagreed over the outcome of  Saturday’s Delta Central Senatorial District bye-election, which was won by the latter.

While the opposition party said the election was marred by  electoral malpractices and widespread violence perpetrated by security agents and thugs hired by the PDP, the ruling party lampooned the APC for poor performance.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC said there was no voting in most of the eight local governments and the 85 wards in the district, alleging that the PDP used armed security agents to chase away voters in opposition strongholds while thugs working under the cover of security personnel beat up opposition party agents and seized voting materials in many areas.

Mohammed said electoral officials were either overwhelmed by the intimidating presence of the security agents or were coerced into submission.

He said the election was nothing but a sham, alleging that activities of the partisan security agents ensured that hundreds of voters were disenfranchised.

He added that while the state government and PDP officials openly induced voters with money.

He said, ‘’Knowing it could not win a free and fair elections anywhere in the country, the PDP simply took measures to suppress voting in opposition strongholds during the Senatorial election.

He cited some instances of the malpractices which he said the PDP employed to compromise the elections, especially in Ughelli North, Udu and Uvwie local government areas.

He said, “Starting from Friday night, three Hilux vehicles brought soldiers to Okpe LG Ward 8 Collation centre to intimidate voters.

“In Sapele Ward 8, security agents beat up voters, thus scaring them away from polling units. In Udu Local Government Ward 7, election materials were seized by thugs.

“ In Sapele Ward 4, a state government commissioner hired thugs to chase away voters. Worst-hit were the Polling Units 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 as well as Units 14 and 15.”

He said there was no election in Ward 8 of Okpe Local Government Area due to incomplete election materials, adding that there was massive thumb printing at Ward 26 in Ughelli North, Soldiers drove away voters and opposition party agents.

Also in Ward 9, Ethiope Local Government, he alleged that soldiers loyal to PDP chased people from polling centres and that at Oghara Junction,  PDP thugs beat up APC supporters.

But the PDP in a statement by its spokesperson, Chief Olisa Metuh, berated the APC for “not being bold and sportsmanlike enough to accept defeat.”

Metuh also described the APC as “a party borne out of violence and religious extremism; a serial bad loser which always finds it difficult to accept that it does not have the support of Nigerians.”

He said in protesting against an election where it lost woefully, the APC was merely “rehearsing its excuses ahead of the 2015 general election when it will suffer the ultimate humiliation from Nigerians.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Delta North senatorial bye-election was free, fair and credible and the people freely gave their mandate to the PDP candidate.”

While describing the APC as a bad loser, Meruh urged the opposition party to learn from the PDP, which he said, was always willing to concede defeat.