Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP/Benue South) has described the local government elections held on Saturday in Benue as a rape of democracy.

Mr Moro made the description in a statement by his media adviser, Emmanuel John, on Sunday in Makurdi.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) won all 23 chairmanship and 276 councillorship seats as declared by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) on Sunday.

The Senate minority leader said reports from polling units across his senatorial district indicated that the election did not hold.

He said election materials and officials of BSIEC were not seen anywhere in the area.

Mr Moro said he was disappointed in Governor Hyacinth Alia for not standing by the truth and due process as promised during his electioneering campaign.

“I expected the governor, as a priest, to push for a paradigm shift by doing what is right and not referencing and copying what was wrongly done in the past.

“Democracy is fiercely fought for, with some people paying the supreme price. Anti-democratic forces will not be allowed to destroy the system,” Mr Moro said.

He urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remain calm, as everything legally possible would be done to challenge the election in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(NAN)