Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly and Director-General of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign in the state, Barrister Razaq Atunwa on Saturday described as “null and void” the directive by the Inspector-General of Police Sulaiman Abba that voters should leave the polling units after casting their votes.
He said as a constitutional lawyer, the statement credited to the IGP is of no effect in law, saying voters have the right to remain at polling units after casting their votes.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega had overruled IGP’s order, saying voters can witness the process of election from the beginning to the end.
However, Atunwa who is vying for Asa/Ilorin West federal constituency seat told newsmen during a campaign of Ilorin West that he aligns with Jega, saying the IGP got it wrong.
“Speaking as a constitutional lawyer, the law permits you to remain within the vicinity of the polling booths even after casting your votes. In as much as you have your PVC, you are entitled to be at that polling unit without time-limit. The IG, I am afraid got it wrong. I stand with Jega on this matter”, he said.
The APC chieftain also said the APC would win a landslide victory in next Saturday’s election, saying the PDP Chairman was under “some strange delusion” to say the party would regain the states it lost to the opposition.
He said, “The momentum country wise is that of change. Not only will PDP not regain any lost state, PDP would lose almost every state in Nigeria. So we are looking forward to this election, they are afraid of election, we are not afraid of election; they are afraid of card reader, we are not afraid of card reader because we are sure that, that will ensure one-man, one vote process. So we are looking forward to the election, we are looking forward to a landslide victory for APC”.
The Speaker promised to, if elected, bring development to his constituents as well as empower his people to do their lawful businesses.
