Kwara PDP, APC bicker over LG poll

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of perpetrating massive rigging and other electoral frauds during Saturday’s local government elections in the North-Central state.
State PDP chairman, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, said this on Saturday while reacting to the conduct of the election.
Meanwhile, the state’s Police Commissioner, Alhaji Lawan Ado, who led the security Committe for the election, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the elections.
Coalition of result from various 193 wards in the state are currently in progress.
Unlike previous elections held in the state, Saturday’s Local Government election took place simultaneously with accreditation and voting.
Also, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, when contacted said he was not aware that ballot papers were being thump printed inside Police vehicle anywhere in the state.
“I have no record of such incident or other electoral fraud from anywhere in the state, so I cannot comment or speak on it,” Okasanmi said.
According to the PPRO, to the best of my knowledge, the police provided adequate security during and after the election across the state.
Also reacting, APC Publicity Secretary, Suleiman Buhari, described the PDP claim that some people thump printed ballot papers inside police vehicle as untrue.
Buhari said the election went well in the state, adding that PDP was just crying wolf where there was none.
The APC spokesman said no ballot box was snatched anywhere during the election, saying that the election was peaceful and recorded a large turnout.
According to Oyedepo, the election was characterised by snatching of ballot boxes in many polling booths across the state, stuffing of already thump printed ballot papers into boxes and inadequate ballot papers.
The PDP chairman also alleged that many polling booths have no recording sheets, while there was no accreditation of voters in many polling booths.
“The whole exercise is a sham riddled with fraud, APC was brazen in carrying out the fraud and rigging in the open while security operatives looked other way.
“It is a shame that a sitting government could resort to rigging, fraud, intimidation of the opposition in an election,” Oyedepo said.
In his own reaction, PDP Publicity Secretary, Rex Olawoye accused the police of conniving with APC in perpetrating the fraud.
Olawoye said in Oke Ero and Ekiti local governments, ballot boxes were being stuffed with ballot papers inside police van.
He condemned the whole conduct of the election across the state, adding that PDP will make its position known on Monday.
Also, Kwara State lndependent Electoral Commission (KWASEIC) expressed satisfaction with the conduct of Saturday’s election into 16 local government Areas in the state.
The chairman of the commission, Dr AbdulRahman Ajidagba, said after monitoring the conduct of the election in some polling units in llorin, that the commission was satisfied with the exercise.
Ajidagba, who was accompanied by commissioner in charge of Administration and Security, Alhajj AbdulRauf Ajao, visited over 15 polling centres in Ilorin Township.