The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel yesterday’s by-election and re-run poll in Kano State over widespread extreme violence and election disruption by armed thugs.
INEC conducted by-election for Bagwai/Shanono state constituency of Kano State to replace a deceased State House of Assembly member, Hon.Halilu Kundila and court ordered re-run polls into Ghari/Tsanyawa state constituency.
The re-run which is between the New Nigeria Peoples Party(NNPP) and APC candidates had been postponed twice over widespread violence.
APC’s national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, who made the call for cancellation, said proceeding with the election in an atmosphere of utter brigandage and outright violent voter intimidation was against democratic dictates of free, fair and peaceful election.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately cancel the bye-elections for Shanono/Bagwai constituency and the Ghari constituency rerun election in Kano state due to widespread extreme violence and election disruption by armed thugs across several polling units in Shanono and Bagwai and Ghari constituencies.
“Verifiable reports from Shanono and Bagwai Local Government Areas and Ghari constituency have voters fleeing polling areas, with deployed security personnel overwhelmed by the violence, making the prospects of a credible election impossible.
“Proceeding with the Shanono/Bagwai Kano State Constituency bye-election and Ghari rerun election in the atmosphere of utter brigandage and outright violent voter intimidation will be against democratic dictates of free, fair and peaceful election, and set a dangerous precedent for undesirable and unacceptable electoral heist,” Morka stated.
