The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for the total cancelation of the Shanono/Bagwai and Tsanyawa/Ghari bye-election, following the arrest of about 288 political thugs with dangerous weapons at different polling units.
The arrest came as the National Publicity Secretary of the APC Felix Morka issued a statement calling for the cancelation due to what he called “widespread extreme violence and election disruption by armed thugs across several polling units in Shanono and Bagwai and Ghari constituencies”
According to him “Verifiable reports from Shanono and Bagwai Local Government Areas and Ghari constituency have voters fleeing polling areas, with deployed security personnel overwhelmed by the violence, making the prospects of a credible election impossible.
He added that, Proceeding with the Shanono/Bagwai Kano State Constituency bye-election and Ghari rerun election in the atmosphere of utter brigandage and outright violent voter intimidation will be against democratic dictates of free, fair and peaceful election, and set a dangerous precedent for undesirable and unacceptable electoral heist.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Police Command SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said Kano State Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), on Saturday arrested a total of two hundred and eighty-eight (288) suspected thugs were arrested for various electoral offenses aimed at disrupting the election process.
A statement by SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Police Public Relations Officer said the Kano State Command has assorted weapons recovered from the suspects include: One pump action rifle, Four locally made guns.
SP Kiyawa further revealed that dangerous weapons, such as bows and arrows, cutlasses, knives, stones, catapults, clubs, and others were also recovered from the suspects.
The PPRO stressed that “The Commissioner of Police, CP Bakori, has issued a strong warning that *all forms of electoral manipulation, violence, and malpractice will not be tolerate.
He maintained that “Just now, we have arrested 288 persons with dangerous weapons with intent to cause mayhem during the ongoing By-election.”
In his part the Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, has confirmed that over 100 suspected political thugs were arrested in Bagwai Local Government Area during Saturday’s by-election in Kano State.
He said the suspects were found in possession of different weapons adding that, further arrests could be made to allow for peaceful conduct of the election while assuring that those arrested would be prosecuted.
Zango, expressed satisfaction with the election process despite some delays due to logistic issues and thuggery.
He added that these challenges were mitigated by an effective security presence, with visible security personnel in polling units to ensure law and order and a peaceful electoral process.
Ahmad Sorondinki
Follow us on: