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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the Shanono/Bagwai and Tsanyawa/Ghari bye-elections in Kano State, citing widespread violence and intimidation, even as police confirmed the arrest of nearly 300 political thugs armed with dangerous weapons at various polling units.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for the immediate cancellation of the ongoing Shanono/Bagwai and Tsanyawa/Ghari bye-elections in Kano State following reports of violence, intimidation, and large-scale arrests of political thugs.
National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, in a strongly worded statement on Saturday, alleged that the elections were marred by “widespread extreme violence and disruption by armed thugs across several polling units in Shanono, Bagwai, and Ghari constituencies.”
According to him, verifiable reports indicated that voters fled polling areas as security personnel struggled to contain the violence, making the conduct of a credible and peaceful election impossible. He warned that allowing the process to continue under such conditions would undermine democracy and set “a dangerous precedent for electoral malpractice and violence.”
The development came as the Kano State Police Command confirmed the arrest of hundreds of suspected thugs in different locations. Police spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed on his verified Facebook page that 288 individuals were apprehended while in possession of dangerous weapons, allegedly intending to disrupt the polls.
“We have arrested 288 persons with dangerous weapons with intent to cause mayhem during the ongoing bye-election,” Kiyawa stated, adding that the suspects are currently in custody and will face prosecution.
Similarly, Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, confirmed that over 100 suspected political thugs were arrested in Bagwai Local Government Area alone. He explained that the suspects were found carrying weapons, stressing that more arrests could still be made to guarantee the peaceful conduct of the election.
Despite the violence and logistical delays in some areas, Zango expressed overall satisfaction with the electoral process, noting that the presence of security operatives at polling units helped maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, stakeholders and observers continue to express concern about the credibility of the exercise, as calls grow louder for INEC to address the crisis and determine the next steps for the affected constituencies.
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