Elections in Nigeria have always generated mixed reactions and its almost always guaranteed that the losing party will cry foul while the winner gloats and boasts how free and fair the election was.
The recent election to fill the Delta central senatorial seat had its own fair share of issues prior to the election proper.
And now, what seemed like a sealed victory for the Delta PDP in the just concluded Delta central senatorial bye election is beginning to generate heat with opposition insisting that the election result be cancelled and called for a re-run.
With the disagreement over the bye election, Faceoff hosted the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lai Mohammed and Commissioner of Information, Delta who is also a key member of the Delta PDP, Chike Ogeah as they got entangled in an argument on the Delta central senatorial bye-election.
According to the APC, the PDP employed various machineries to attain victory, allegation the PDP frowned at as it urged opposition to head to court to challenge the result of the election rather than create unnecessary problem.
The APC said the agents on the field indicated that armed soldiers and policemen were deployed strategically to intimidate voters, while trailers and tankers were used to block the roads leading to the opposition strongholds, thereby preventing voting materials from reaching there and the worst-hit areas were Ughelli-North; Udu and Uvwie local governments.
The opposition party adds that several Hilux vehicles loaded with armed soldiers were sent to Okpe local government ward 8 collation centres since Friday night.
The death of Senator Pius Ewherido on June 30, 2013, who won the seat in 2011 on the platform of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) which fielded Ede Dafinone as its candidate in Saturday’s poll, gave rise to the Delta central senatorial bye election.
Watch interview for more details.