The supplementary governorship election in Kano State witnessed an orgy of violence on Saturday as thugs suspected to be working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) chased away some electorate who they believe would cast their votes for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Security agents, strategically positioned, were helpless as thugs went on the rampage, attacking PDP members and journalists.
Some journalists covering the election escaped lynching by thugs at Suntulma Primary School in Gama ward of Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.
The journalists who were in the area to monitor the poll, were chased out of the place by the hoodlums.
Trouble began when some of the newsmen tried to interview some voters who were denied access into the classrooms where some of the polling units were stationed.
While trying to flee the troubled area, some of the journalists fell on ground and one of them had to take refuge in a nearby Mosque to save his life.
Some of the reporters had their clothes torn by the thugs.
Those injured were taken to hospitals.
Some PDP members were stabbed.
Voters alleged that they were not allowed to exercise their franchise as they were chased out of the area.
One of them, Comrade Aminu Tijjani, said he went to the primary school to cast his vote at his polling unit but had to return to escape the hoodlums’ attack.
“The situation is very bad and this is not how to conduct an election where people or voters are denied the opportunity to vote,” Tijjani said.
Another voter, Sani Abdullahi, said he came to vote as early as 8 a.m. but was scared away by the suspected thugs numbering about 10.
The re-run election is being conducted to decide the winner between two candidates – Abba Kabir-Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 1,014,477 votes, and incumbent Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 987,810 votes in the first poll conducted on March 9.
The margin between the candidates stood at 26,655 votes in favour of Kabir-Yusuf.
Meanwhile, the PDP has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the re-run governorship election ongoing across the 28 local government areas of the state, alleging that thugs have taken over the process.
Acting Chairman of the party, Rabiu Sulaiman-Bichi, made the call while addressing a news conference in Kano on Saturday.
Bichi said there was need for the commission to cancel the election as the process had completely been taken over by armed political thugs.
“Today, this charade called re-run election was slated to hold in Kano and other states but unfortunately, what we have in Kano is nothing but a sham.
“Reports reaching us since yesterday indicated that thugs have allegedly been mobilised to take over all the 208 polling units,”he said.
According to him, the thugs were allegedly brought from Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau and other neighbouring states and were “armed to the teeth” posing as voters in the polling units in the localities.
The chairman alleged that the thugs freely voted with the PVCs that did not belong to them, while some posed as INEC staff.
He said as a peace-loving party, the PDP had alerted security agencies in addition to writing a Letter of Caution to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state on the situation.
Later, the state Police Command sent more reinforcement of security personnel to Gama ward of Nasarawa local government to beef up security at the polling units located in the ward.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, disclosed this in Kano.
He said that the deployment of additional security personnel to the areas followed the visit by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Anthony Micheal, to the area.
He said that following the report on the security challenges at the area, the DIG visited the ward to assess the security situation there.
According to him, the deployment of additional security personnel was necessary as part of efforts to enhance security as well as ensure the protection of lives and property in the affected areas.
“The DIG has visited Gama ward to assess the situation and had since sent more reinforcement to protect lives and property,” he said, adding that the situation had since been brought under control.
On the alleged arrest of the Commissioner for Special Duties, Muktar Ishaq, the Police spokesman denied the story, saying “I am not aware of arrest of any Commissioner”.
Security was also beefed up in and around Kano metropolis following attacks by thugs.
Armed policemen were seen patrolling some of the major streets of the city.
Some of the security personnel were also seen covering some of the areas believed to be volatile although the election is not taking place there.
Meanwhile, some notable party chieftains in Sokoto State have engaged in popularity supremacy at Magajin Gari ward ‘B’ Shiyyar Danfarijo polling unit 005 and 009, where supplementary polls are taking place.
This led to chaos in the supplementary poll for the Sokoto North local government area.
The presence of party chieftains, Alhaji Murtala Daniya of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and two All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, Alhaji Abdullahi Hassan, a one time chairman of Sokoto North LGA and APC youth leader, Nasiru Italiya at the polling centre disrupted the procesess.
Police had to use teargas on the crowd and deploy more personnel before normalcy was restored after the election was put on hold for about three hours.
Daniya of the PDP, who was among the early voters, displayed his ballot sheet to the public, a situation that led to throwing of sand and objects at INEC officials, security men and party chieftains.
The Presiding Officer, Mr Otu Cassius, said that they reported for election duty as early as 7 a.m and that screening and voting commenced simultaneously as there were no hitches with the card reader.
Cassius, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, said the processes were well until the incident.
A PDP agent at the polling unit, Alhaji Bashiru Abdulkadir, said that it was right for Daniya to publicly display what he voted because even a presidential candidate did it after voting in the just concluded presidential election.
However, the APC agent, Muntari Muhammad, opposed the position, stressing that it violated electoral laws and said he had lodged a complain to the authorities.
Voting went smoothly at Sarkin Yaki Polling unit 008 in Sarkin
Musulmi Ward ‘B’ and Danhilin Hubbare polling unit 004 also in Sarkin Musulmi Ward ‘B’ in Sokoto North LGA.
The apresiding officers at the units, Ahmad Hassan and Sa’adatu Adamu said they reported early and election commenced at 8 a.m.
APC State Treasurer, Alhaji Haruna Adiya, who voted at Kyafe polling unit 008 in Magajin Rafi ward ‘B’, urged authorities to deploy more security men to regulate the rowdy situation.
Mr Zakari Umar, the Supervisor of Domestic Election Observer in Sokoto North LGA, said the processes were orderly in line with regulations.
Umar, who is from YAGA Africa, said incident forms were being compiled to be reported to relevant authorities.
Vote buying became the order of the day at Rajiya polling unit 004 in Sokoto South local government area.
The situation led to the arrival of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Danjuma and other security chiefs at the polling unit.
ASP. Muhammad Sadiq, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) assured that the situation was under control.
“In every election, we expect some challenges but presently the situation is under control as you can see.
“We will tackle all irregularities and maintain the peaceful atmosphere through out the exercise, ” he said.
Commissioner for Finance and Higher Education, Alhaji Sa’idu Umar and Prof. A’isha Madawaki, urged security agencies to remain vigilant in ensuring the success of the re-run.
They expressed confidence in the overall process and urged INEC and other stakeholders to play the game by the rules.
Police directive on restriction of vehicular movements from 8 a.m to 6 p.m was flouted.
The supplementary elections witnessed high turnout generally, but amidst security challenges, with residents calling for deployment of more security personnel.
The re-run is being conducted in 135 polling units across 22 local government areas of the state to determine who wins the governorship seat.
