The Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Natasha Akpoti Is calling for cancellation of the November sixteen Kogi State Governorship election and want INEC to order for a re-run of the election in Kogi Central senatorial District.
In a statement signed by the SDP candidate Natasha Akpoti says electoral violence and insecurity was a major challenge in the conduct of a free and fair election of the November, 16th Governorship election in Kogi State, most especially in the Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The Kogi Central Senatorial District comprises of Okene, Ajaokuta, Adavi, Okehi and Ogori Magongo Local governments with a total number of Seven Hundred and Eighty (780) polling units of the Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The statement says elections did not hold as a result of the violence unleashed by APC led thugs who attacked voters, electoral officials and electoral and destroyed electoral materials.
The statement further added that APC led thugs were shooting at voters which resulted in death of voters.
She alleged that the APC led thugs were shielded by security agents who are supposed to provide security for the citizens.
According to the statement, What happened in Kogi Central and other parts of the state was a far-cry from a credible election as Ballot boxes were destroyed and burnt in Okene, Adavi, Ajaokuta and Ogori Magongo and Okehi Local government areas and other parts of the state.
It stated that agents of other political parties were chased away from the various polling units of the Kogi Central Senatorial District.
In some polling units agents were tied with ropes by APC led thugs while in Okene Local Government, agents were not allowed to come near the polling units as APC thugs were seen brandishing guns and announcing to voters not to come and vote unless they were to vote only APC.
IIt states that in few of the polling units where there was semblance of the conduct of elections, Ballot papers stamped with 2015 date were used in the conduct of the election and in most cases; Social Democratic Party (SDP) was written with pencil on the result sheet. Ballot papers already thumb printed by voters in favour of Social Democratic Party, SDP, already tucked into the ballot boxes were sorted out by the APC led thugs and burnt.
The statement further states that From the above incidents, it is clear that elections did not hold in the Seven Hundred and Eighty (780) polling units of Kogi Central Senatorial District and Kogi State at large and results cannot be emanating from where elections did not hold.
The Election as it is now cannot pass the test of fairness and credibility. Whatever gains INEC seem to have achieved in the conduct of elections in the past will be completely eroded if the election in Kogi Central Senatorial District and some other part of Kogi State is allowed to stand.
