We Never Called For Cancellation Of Kogi Senatorial Election – PDP

We Never Called For Cancellation Of Kogi Senatorial Election – PDP

The main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has denied calling for the postponement of Kogi West Senatorial Supplementary elections.

Earlier on Sunday, the ruling APC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said it will not yield to the “PDP’s threat to boycott or cancel the supplementary election slated for November 30 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

The party said the main opposition’s failure to “rig the November 16 rerun election for the Senatorial seat” is an undertone for its demand.

It also accused the PDP or using the state institutions, particularly INEC, the judiciary and security agencies to manipulate the electioneering process during its 16 years rule.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 30 for the Senatorial supplementary election in Kogi West district. The PDP has predictably gone to town with the usual lamentations on the forthcoming supplementary election. The PDP has even threatened to boycott the election. Who is fooling who?

“Nobody is fooled by the PDP’s statement boycotting the supplementary election. The All Progressives Congress (APC) will not drop its guard in our quest to get a clear majority of the remaining votes in the affected units.

“Why should the supplementary election be cancelled as being demanded by the PDP? Is it because the PDP has already lost the election?

“How many times does the PDP need to be reminded that APC has not and will not copy the PDP’s inglorious tactics of using state institutions, particularly INEC, the judiciary and security agencies to manipulate the electioneering process?” it said.

PDP’s denial

However, the PDP in its reaction on Sunday night, said it has never issued any statement calling for the postponement or cancelation of the supplementary election between its Senatorial Candidate, Dino Melaye, and Smart Adeyemi of the APC.

It said the allegation made by the APC is “absolute falsehood borne out of its fear of losing the seat to its candidate come November 30 as fixed by INEC.”

“So they are so idle now that they speak for our party? The truth of the matter is, it is their (APC) wish that PDP will boycott the election but the people of Kogi West Senatorial District have insisted that PDP must participate in that election.

“We believe they (APC) are afraid of the election because all the illegal security and the enforcers they used in the November 16 election are not going to be available to them.

“I guess they are scared, which is why they (APC) are indirectly calling for the postponement and making allegations that we are the one calling for postponement.

“There is no where we (PDP) is asking for postponement, they are afraid, which is why they are indirectly calling for postponement,” PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan told PREMIUM TIMES via mobile phone.

What happened in Kogi West

PREMIUM TIMES did an extensive coverage of November 16 Governorship and Kogi West Senatorial re-run elections in Kogi State.

In its reports and that of many other observers groups, there were cases of election violence ranging from bloodshed to ballot box snatching across the state, including seven local government areas where Messrs Melaye and Adeyemi battled to secure their return to the National Assembly.

INEC later declared the election inconclusive.

According to INEC, the margin between Mr Adeyemi and Mr Melaye is lower than the number of registered voters in 53 polling units of 20 registration areas in the zone where elections were cancelled.

Mr Adeyemi scored 80,118 votes while Mr Melaye polled 59,548. That gives a differnece of 20,570.

The number of registered voters in the affected areas is 43,127.