Paul Orude, Bauchi
As Nigerians file out to vote in the governorship and State Assembly today, there are concerns that the process in Bauchi State might be marred by violence.
These concerns are not being taken lightly, bearing in mind that the state witnessed a bloody post election violence, which led to the deaths of many people in 2011.
As fear and anxiety mount, some of the political parties have raised alarm.
For instance, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has expressed fears that the ruling All Progressives Congress led by the governor, Mohammed Abubakar is allegedly planning to instigate violence that will lead to the arrest of its governorship candidate, Senator Bala Mohammed, former minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Chairman of the PDP in the state, Hamza Akuya, expressed this fear. He stated that the ploy by the APC was in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the election in the state.
The party alleged that there are strong indications that the APC led administration wants to influence the arrest of PDP governorship candidate, Senator Bala Mohamed Abdukadir, warning that, “if such ever happens the APC will know that PDP has supporters in Bauchi State.”
Akuya made the allegation on Thursday in Bauchi during a press conference held at the NUJ Secretariat, Bauchi, insisting that the shortage of election materials being distributed by INEC across the state was a ploy.
But in a swift reaction, the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Ahmed Waziri, dispelled any plan of postponing election, saying that for such to happen, there must be a basis.
Waziri explained: “There wasn’t a shortage of even a single ballot paper. In Shira Local Government Area, there was shortage in Dissina constituency while there was over supply in Shira. We had taken the issue to INEC headquarters and it is being addressed. The ballot papers are customized so you can’t take one to another place. Therefore, the issue of postponement does not even arise” Akuya also alleged that Governor Abubakar has also mobilised thugs to harass voters and cause mayhem to disrupt the election. He lamented that PDP supporters were being arrested indiscriminately by the police disclosing that, “over a 100 have so far been arrested.
There was a day we secured the release of 24 of our supporters from the police.” He stated that there is a conspiracy with INEC to deliberately starve polling units where PDP has huge supporters of materials for the election.
“INEC has been abetting the ruling party,” he stated, alleging that, “they have obtained ballot papers that they are already using to thumb print in some places”
Akuya who was in company with the defeated PDP senatorial candidate (Bauchi South), Garba Dahiru, the defeated House of Representatives candidate for Alkaleri/Kirfi, and a one-time commissioner for Health Professor Sani Mallami, and one of the party’s legal adviser Barrister Kefas Magaji among others, also alleged that Governor Abubakar has resorted to harassing traditional rulers to deliver their areas or risk losing their seats.
“The threats have also been issued to senior civil servants. In fact, senior civil servants have been induced with money while security operatives have been given marching orders to arrest members of the opposition”
The PDP Chairman called for the stripping of duties of overseeing of political affairs in the state, from the commander of the Rapid Response Squad, Superintendent of Police (SP) Baba Yola, for allegedly “harassing, intimidating and inflicting terror on the opposition supporters.”
He assured that the PDP will remain law abiding and will continue to adopt constitutional means to seek redress. He added: “In view of the utterances of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the state, we appeal to him and INEC to prove their neutrality by providing a level playing ground and ensuring that they provide relevant information to political parties that will ensure a free, fair and credible election on Saturday (today).”