The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the rigging strategy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was thwarted during last Saturday’s governorship election in both Bayelsa and Kogi States.
The ruling party also hailed the security agencies for the security arrangements put in place for the elections.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement Sunday said that the party was aware of several hoodlums brought into Kogi State from Osun and Oyo States a few days before the elections, as the APC monitored the grand preparation to unleash violence on Bayelsa State.
According to him, “We are delighted that the forces of darkness have failed. The subterfuge deployed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the election in both states, including the Kogi West senatorial rerun election was thwarted.
“In Kogi and Bayelsa States, we were certain of securing the majority votes for the two governorship seats and the Kogi West senatorial seat. For this, we knew we must ensure a peaceful atmosphere for voters to freely turn out and exercise their franchise.”
The ruling party noted that as expected, it was in the tradition of the PDP to thrive under orderly and credible electoral process, adding that the main oppossion party did its best to discredit the process.
The APC said it was glad that the voting processes came to a successful end in Kogi and Bayelsa States.
Issa-Onilu added that the ruling party noted the effort by the PDP to employ its usual manipulation through ballot box snatching, massive thumb printing of ballot papers and vote buying.
The party stressed that it also noted for instance, the video now in circulation of self-help ballot paper thumb printing at the polling unit of the PDP governorship candidate, Musa Wada, and vote buying by the PDP’s senatorial candidate, Dino Melaye.
The ruling party however commended the security agencies and other officials who did their best to minimise the impact of the PDP thugs whose sole agenda was to create chaos and scare voters from coming out to vote.
The party said it was pleasing that the PDP did not achieve its objective of winning through violence.
It therefore commended all its supporters for standing their ground to protect the ballot and ensure credibility of the electoral process.
APC said while it awaits the collation process to be completed and for the final results to be announced, urged its members in both states to remain calm and peaceful.
