Mixed reactions have continued to trail last Saturday’s supplementary governorship elections, which took place in five states – Plateau, Kano, Sokoto, Benue and Bauchi.
Some rights groups have, however, alleged that, considering the trend supplementary polls had taken in recent time, it was clear that it was the ruling All Progressives Congress’ “latest vocabulary for rigging.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the governorship elections, held in the affected states on March 9, 2019, as inconclusive.
However, the Commission could not hold supplementary election in Adamawa.
The elections, which witnessed a low turnout of voters, were also marred with irregularities and violence leading to loss of precious human lives.
The high rate of violence was more pronounced in Kano and Benue states.
Many of the residents, who spoke with our correspondent, said it was surprising that the security agencies were unable to prevent violence and bloodshed in elections that were conducted in a few areas.
There were widespread reports by election observers that youths took up arms last Saturday and disrupted peace and tranquility in a few areas where the elections were held in Kano and Benue states.
The violence was said to have led to many of the electorate running for their dear lives.
In Kano, the opposition parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party, accused the All Progressives Congress of being behind the violence, as the party claimed that most of its polling agents and supporters were allegedly intimidated and harassed.
The PDP further claimed that the armed thugs, who perpetrated the violence, leading to the killing and maiming of innocent people were brought from neighbouring states by the APC.
It was surprising to analysts that despite measures put in place by the Acting Inspector General of Police, Garba Adamu, which included the drafting of DIG Michael Obizi, three AIGs and many Commissioners of Police to Kano for the election, there was still a high level of violence.
The situation in Benue was not much better with violence noticed in all areas where elections took place.
The high point of Benue violence was the gunshot attack on Gboko Local Government Returning Officer, Prof. T. Dooshami, allegedly by unknown
gunmen.
She was said to have been shot on her way from Gboko to Makurdi where she was expected to submit Gboko LGA Collated Election Results.
Speaking with The Point on the development, the President, Right Monitoring Group, Mr Femi Aduwo, who observed the election in Kano last Saturday, descibed the level of violence witnessed in Kano Governorship supplementary Election as shameful and embarrassing.
He said, “It is shameful. With what I witnessed in Kano, I think we have now got to a point where when the police tells you we are on top of the situation, you have to run away for your life. What we are seeing now is shameful and I think if we continue this way, this democracy will die very soon.
“We have seen a situation where these inconclusive elections have become a method which the ruling party uses to manipulate and rig elections.”
Also speaking on the violence perpetrated during the last Supplementary Governorship Election in Kano, National Coordinator, Democracy Vanguard, Comrade Adeola Soetan, wondered why the armed youths could be allowed to move round, causing harm to innocent citizens.
“In the supplementary election in Kano, there were DIG, AIGs and Commissioners of Police. How come those boys we saw in Kano moved round freely? How did they move freely with cudgels and other dangerous weapons?” he
queried.
INEC Director of Voters Education and Publicity, Mr. Osaze – Uzzi told The Point that questions regarding security issues could only be answered by the police.
“Nobody likes violence in an election and INEC in particular, doesn’t want violence during and after elections,” he said.
