Senate President Bukola Saraki, and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed have both reacted to Saturday’s by-election in Kwara State won by candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).

Both politicians, members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that the process was skewed against their party.

APC candidate, Mr Raheem Olawuyi, was on Saturday declared the winner of the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency by-election held across the four councils in Kwara State.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Olawuyi polled 21,236 to emerge winner.

But Messrs Saraki and Ahmed, have alleged that the elections were marred by intimidation of voters by security officials.

Ahmed described the House of Representatives by-election as a contest between PDP and security agents rather than among political parties although he expressed confidence in his party’s victory.

A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Mr Muyideen Akorede, stated that reports available to the governor from the four local government areas in which elections were held indicated wide-spread harassment, arrests and intimidation of PDP members and supporters by security personnel.

He, however, commended PDP members and supporters across the federal constituency for standing their ground and defying threats posed by security agents by coming out to exercise their franchise at the risk of harm and arrest.

He said the heightened fear and intimidation orchestrated against PDP members and supporters and abetted by security agents led to voter apathy and poor turn-out in the areas that are traditional strong-holds of fhe party.

Similarly, Saraki alleged that it was the first time that elections in Kwara State would be held under such charged, tensed and militarised conditions, adding that they are signs of things to come in 2019.

“We had INEC officials complaining about their own safety — and PDP supporters were brazenly intimidated, which resulted in low turn out of voters,” he tweeted on his verified Twitter page.

“The public should note that today’s #KwaraByElection was simply between PDP and security agents plus APC. This was due to the heavy deployment of police, soldiers and other security agents who gathered to support APC and harass PDP leaders and supporters.

“It is important to reiterate that ahead of 2019 elections, such open displays of intimidation are sending wrong signals. Our democracy is being undermined with this misuse of our nation’s security apparatus. #KwaraByElection.”

Political commentators say the election is a test of the two major political parties’ strength in Kwara ahead of 2019 elections.

Ahmed is gunning for a senatorial seat upon completion of his eight-year tenure as governor while Saraki, who represents Kwara central in the upper chamber, also hopes to return to the Senate.

Both men recently defected from ruling APC to join opposition PDP about four years after they defected from PDP ahead of 2015 general elections.

PT