The Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the results of the August 16 bye-election for the Okura State Constituency in Dekina Local Government Area, demanding its cancellation and the conduct of a fresh election.
In a statement released in Abuja, the party’s state chairman, Enemona Anyebe, voiced dissatisfaction with the conduct of the election, alleging irregularities and widespread voter disenfranchisement.
The PDP claimed that voting failed to hold in several polling units across the constituency, while in some areas, electoral materials were either unavailable or inaccessible.
The party further questioned the credibility of the declared results, pointing out that the figures announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were starkly at odds with established voting patterns.
INEC announced 55,073 votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 1,038 for the PDP. However, the opposition party argued that the figures were inconsistent with the 2023 general election results and cast doubt on the likelihood of such a high turnout amid reports of low voter participation.
The PDP called on the electoral commission to carry out a transparent review of the exercise and urged INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to take decisive measures to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
“As a responsible political party, we have remained calm and restrained in our response because we believe democracy must thrive without conflict,” the statement added.
