Kwara rerun characterised by thuggery — ACN

The House of Assembly candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria for the Ilorin-West constituency of Kwara State, Mr. Kayode Aiyelabegan, has alleged that the rerun election, which held on Saturday in 60 polling units of Balogun Alanamu and Oloje wards was marred by electoral malpractices.

He said Kwara ACN deplored the conduct of some members of the Peoples Democratic Party who he accused of being behind the violence and electoral malpractices.

“The exercise was marred by wholesale violence and thuggery by PDP chieftains and thugs who toured the polling units to intimidate and scare off voters with gunshots and violent attacks on ACN chieftains who challenged their lawlessness. The exercise was riddled with mindless disregard for law and order. It was chaotic.

“There were gunshots at Ile Onimago, Mount Camel, Ita Kudimo, Ode Isowo, Pakata Primary School, Ode Alfa Iwo, Ode Balogun Alanamu, Ile Manma, Ikhwanu Primary School which also doubles as the collation centre for Alanamu Ward, Ode Isowo where, apart from the usual beating of our agents, our party leader, Alhaji Koobe, was beaten to a pulp. These are only a few of the numerous places where PDP brazenly subdued the law with impunity,” he said

But the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fabode Olufemi, and the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Mas’ud Adebimpe, said the allegations were false.

Olufemi said there were no attacks on voters, adding that there was massive police presence in the two wards. He stated that the command deployed 280 police officers to maintain law and order and ensure the peaceful conduct of the election.

Adebimpe also said the election was free and fair, adding that the PDP was hopeful to win.

“The coming out of the people to perform their civic responsibilities once again confirms the confidence the people has in the party, although the ACN attempted to misinform the people by alleging non-existent threats and attacks,” he said.