The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has rejected the results of Saturday’s local government elections, describing the exercise as a fraud.
Chairman of the Forum of Lagos PDP Local Government Chairmen, Chief Adegboyega Adegbesan, made this known during a press briefing on Tuesday in Lagos.
“What occurred on Saturday was no election. It was a charade and a criminal conspiracy against the people’s sovereign will,” he said.
The PDP said it would not recognise the results declared by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission. Adegbesan claimed that the election was manipulated in favour of the All Progressives Congress.
He said the PDP had gathered video recordings and testimonies that would be used in court to challenge the outcome.
The party alleged that armed thugs attacked polling units, snatched ballot boxes, and beat up voters while security operatives watched.
“In PDP strongholds across the state, ballot box stuffing occurred on a massive scale. Pre-thumbprinted ballots were delivered in bags,” Adegbesan said.
He also claimed that in some areas, votes recorded were more than the number of registered voters.
According to him, election materials arrived late or were incomplete in several places, frustrating PDP supporters and reducing voter turnout.
Alhaji Isiaka Shodiya, PDP chairman in Alimosho, called for the scrapping of state electoral commissions, saying they could not guarantee fair elections.
PDP councillorship candidate for Ward F in Yaba LCDA, Mr Alade Yusuf, alleged that no collation took place before a result was declared in his ward.
“We demand the total cancellation of the Ward F election and a fresh poll with proper security and civil society monitoring,” Yusuf said.
LASIEC had declared APC as winners of all 57 chairmanship seats and 375 out of 376 councillorship positions across the state.
