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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Lagos State chapter, Honourable Philip Olabode Aivoji, has condemned the series of violence perpetrated on non-indigenes during last Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Lagos State.
Aivoji, who made these remarks in a statement on Thursday, stated that during the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Lagos State, the All Progressives Congress ( APC) hired thugs with dangerous weapons such as guns, cutlasses, bottles, daggers and horsewhips stormed several polling units and prevented non -indigenes from casting votes for fear they would vote against the APC.
He explained that violence was the order of the day at many polling units as the APC hired thugs and hoodlums not only shot, burnt and destroyed election materials, but also chased away other party agents after been thoroughly beaten up.
The Lagos PDP helmsman particularly mentioned ward F3 polling unit 13 at Ago Palace Way, I solo, Adejare polling unit in Ilasa, Ward 018 in Jakande Estate, polling unit 052 at Olusoji Street, off Afariogun in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area and unit 037 in Aguda – Surulere as some of the places where the nefarious activities of polls disruption and chasing away of voters took place.
Aivoji further alleged that on Muyibi Street in Olodi – Apapa, thugs also chased voters away, broke ballot boxes and emptied their contents into the gutter, while in Ibeju – Lekki axis, thugs flogged voters suspected to be non – indigenes
He said that the violence unleashed by the APC thugs at the various polling units were frightening to many voters who decided to abstain from exercising their civic responsibility for fear of their life, citing polling units 04 at Abule – Oshun and 014 at Abule-Ado in Satellite Town, where thugs brought there insisted no one could vote unless he or she showed evidence of voting for the APC.
The PDP chieftain, who said the entire Saturday election was not a true reflection of the votes and wishes of the people, expressed deep concern that polling units around Victoria Garden City was not equally spared as the APC thugs attacked popular Nollywood actress, Chioma Akpotha, and other voters and it took the intervention of some soldiers to save the voters.
Aivoji, however, strongly condemned in strong terms President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector – General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, for their silence on all the violence during the Saturday election in the state.
He noted that prior to the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly election in the state, suspected thugs were seen on a deserted street, warning intending voters to either cast their ballots for the APC or remain indoors and the nation’s various security agencies never took necessary steps to nip all this in the bud.
The PDP boss stressed that the spate of violence during the election, no doubt, denied the process from being a free, fair, credible and transparent election, which cast aspersions on the intergrity of INEC and the security agencies.
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