Following allegations of malpractices in the just concluded House of Representatives by-election Saturday in Kogi State, the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ), Social Democratic Party ( SDP ) and ADC have jointly called on the Ag. President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, all authorities concerned especially the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), the Nigeria Police, DSS, Civil Defence and other security agencies as well as civil society groups, local and international observers to cancel the election.
A statement jointly signed by the three parties’ publicity secretataries- Bode Ogunmola, PDP; Ade Ismail, ADC, and Ochedi Udale Shaibu, SDP, stated that Saturday was indeed a black day in Kogi as they witnessed a broad day rape on democracy, human rights violation and neglect of rule of law through a destruction of electoral materials, physical assaults on innocent electorate, snatching of ballot boxes as well as destruction of private and public properties all under the watchful eyes of the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police who they said we’re obvious conspirators in the “unholy alliances”.
“It’s now an obvious fact considering what is presently happening in Kogi State as regards the by-election that democracy is dead in the state and it will be wrong of us if we did not bring it to the notice of the general public particularly the Ag. President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and all authorities concerned, especially INEC, The Nigeria Police, DSS, Civil Defence and other security agencies as well as civil society groups, local and international observers,” it said.
They therefore, called for total cancellation of the entire exercise and also bring to book all perpetrators of the criminal acts , if it is true that the Federal Government wants to restore people’s confidence in democracy
“In line with this obvious facts and to restore people’s confidence in our democracy, we therefore, call for total cancellation of the entire exercise and also bring to book all perpetrators of this criminal acts,” it further said.
