Nigeria’s Senate President and godfather of Kwara Politics, Dr. Bukola Saraki has described yesterday’s by-election which the All Progressives Congress (APC) won as a battle between the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP and security agencies.
In a statement shortly after the results of the election were announced, Dr. Saraki said: “the public should note that today’s #KwaraByElection was simply between PDP and security agents plus APC. This was due to the heavy deployment of police, soldiers and other security agents who gathered to support APC and harass PDP leaders and supporters.
“This is the first time that elections in Kwara State will be held under such charged, tensed and militarised conditions. We had INEC officials complaining about their own safety — and PDP supporters were brazenly intimidated, which resulted in low turn out of voters.
“It is important to reiterate that ahead of the 2019 elections, such open displays of intimidation are sending wrong signals. Our democracy is being undermined with this misuse of our nation’s security apparatus.”
