Borno Bye-Election: Did Security Personnel Silence Voters? PDP Alleges Intimidation.
The Borno State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decried alleged massive intimidation of voters by security personnel in Chibok State constituency bye-election held on Saturday in Chibok local government area of the state.
The PDP publicity secretary, Mr Amos Adziba, disclosed this in a telephone interview with journalists in Maiduguri, the state capital.
He regretted that Chibok, which has remained under series of attacks and witnessed the massacre of innocent civilians in January this year, would witness an uncountable number of security agents in the name of Assembly bye-election.
Mr. Adziba, while reacting to the exercise said, “There was heavy presence of security agents brought by the Borno State Government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to intimidate the Chibok Community to force a candidate against their will in the bye-election of Chibok House of Assembly.
“Could you believe that counting was allowed only in Chibok local government headquarters, while all other places were hijacked?
“We’re soliciting for security chiefs to come to our aid as one of our Returning Officer, Hon. Jantiku Mangzha, has been arrested and detained and many of our supporters were maltreated in the populated Wards.
“The law states clearly that no result of election shall be declared outside its constituency.
“We reject all results that do not comply with the Electoral Law.
“The impunity of APC government in Borno State has escalated to anarchy instead of democracy,” Adziba lamented.
Our correspondent reports that the conduct of the Borno State House of Assembly bye-election for Chibok local government area constituency was due to the demise of Hon. Nuhu Clerk, who died shortly after winning the seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general election.
Meanwhile, the Deputy National Chairman (North) of the ruling APC, Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, has expressed optimism that his party will record massive victory against the main opposition PDP in the bye-election.
Recall that the deputy governor, Umar Usman Kadafur, Hon. Dalori, former and serving Commissioners, and chairmen of some local government areas were deployed to Chibok LGA two days to the bye-election to ensure victory for APC, as Chibok has predominantly PDP members and supporters.
Dalori, who spoke in an interview dismissed the allegation of intimidation against PDP members, saying, “I am really satisfied with the large turnout and the manner voters conducted themselves throughout the exercise.
“I want to commend our security agencies and the INEC officials, as well as the people of Chibok for allowing the process to be peaceful, credible and transparent.
“I am just coming from some of the polling units and I can tell you that I am optimistic that our great party, the APC will sweep all the votes,” Dalori stated.
