A former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state are trading accusations over the inconclusive Zamfara State assembly byelection.

The PDP in Zamfara State had alleged intimidation, harassment and rigging by the All Progressive Congress during the election.

In a press conference on Sunday, the Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Tukur Umar Danfulani, said the APC hired thugs to disrupt the election when they learnt that they will lose the election.

In his submission, the Chairman of PDP committee for the byelection in the state, Senator Lawal Hassan Daniya, said despite cancellation of elections in 14 polling units, PDP won the polls.

“It is noteworthy that all the wards cancelled are our stronghold where the votes tally were all won by the PDP.

“But the Independent National Electoral Commission has cancelled them and declared the elections inconclusive.

“We always believe in our ability to deliver to our people because this is a period selected by God Almighty to deliver the people from the shackles of misrule perpetuated for several years by the All Progressive Congress on the people of Zamfara state.

“It is important for the general public to know, however, that the APC, in its desperate attempt to win the polls, employed thugs to disrupt the peaceful procedure of elections in several wards where some of our supporters were harassed and molested,” he said.

In his own part, Yari accused the PDP’s administration and some of the security personnel deployed during the election of aiding and abetting massive rigging.

He said what happened on Saturday was a joke not an election and it had never happened in the history of elections in northern Nigeria, adding that people were not allowed to exercise their constitutional right.

“For instance, in Yargeda ward with 12 polling units, elections in 8 polling units didn’t take place and the results from these polling centres were collated and PDP was declared winner in all.

“Ballot box snatching, intimidation of voters to the full glare of some compromised security operatives was the order of the day and they are trying to call this sham an election.

“They invited thugs from all nook and cranny of the country to rig election for them when they learnt that they have no majority of the electorates.

“We said earlier that we would follow due process in this election because we have people on our side,” Yari fumed.

Daily Trust