No election in Bagwai/Shanono, APC tells INEC

• Demands cancellation

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s by-election in Bagwai/Shanono State Constituency, saying there was no election iconducted in the constituency.

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, addressed journalists in Kano yesterday on behalf of the stakeholders of the APC in the state.

He accused the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State of importing armed thugs from neighbouring states and countries to intimidate voters and disrupt the exercise.

He alleged that despite a peace accord signed by political parties ahead of the election, the NNPP breached the agreement by mobilising thugs to unleash terror on innocent voters.

“On the day of the election, as early as 5am, Shanono and Bagwai local government areas were invaded by thousands of armed thugs wielding dangerous weapons, including guns, allegedly recruited from Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and beyond,” Ata said.

According to him, residents who sighted strange faces in their communities fled their homes in fear, relocating to neighbouring Gwarzo and Bichi local government areas. He noted that the APC candidate himself was attacked at his residence.

Ata further claimed that the NNPP thugs hijacked ballot papers and result sheets, stuffed ballots, and allocated votes to their party in the absence of genuine voters, insisting that “no credible election took place in Shanono/Bagwai.”

He added: “The people of Bagwai/Shanono, who have been patiently waiting for the by-election since the demise of their representative, Hon. Halilu Ibrahim Kundila in April last year, were disenfranchised, traumatised and chased away from their homes.”

The minister called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the election and fix a fresh date for a free, fair and transparent poll. He also urged security agencies to prosecute all those arrested in connection with the violence.

While appealing to APC supporters to remain calm, he stressed that the integrity of the electoral process must not be compromised.

“How can we claim to uphold democracy when citizens are chased away from their homes hours before the election? An election marred by violence is no election at all,” Ata queried.

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