PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State has rejected the decision of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and the State Returning Officer to declare the Bauchi State governorship election as inconclusive saying it has thrown the state into “unprecedented confusion, tension, and anger.”
The Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Hamza Akuyam, condemned INEC’s declaration in a press conference held at the NUJ secretariat in Bauchi on Monday. He said that the declaration came at a time when the exercise was at its final stage and when it became clear that his party was cruising to victory
“Our party was heading for a historic victory,” he said.
Akuyam, while reading a statement from his party, called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu to compel the two officers to return to the collation centre and complete the collation process.
He lamented that the State Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Kyari, “without any prompting, complaint or request whatsoever,” abruptly terminated the return of the governorship election despite the fact that the local government Returning Officer, Mrs Dominion Anosike, had on tape confirmed that the elections had been peaceful, free and fair.”
The PDP chairman, who was in company with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, and top members of the party including senators and chieftains, stated that the PDP rejected the decision at an emergency meeting.
He assured that the PDP was exploring all legal options to “expeditiously return the people’s mandate within the shortest possible time.”
Akuyam also alleged that the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police and the Officer Commanding, Rapid Response Squad, masterminded the physical assault of some PDP members and supporters, citing also a recent incident where the PDP returning officer was said to have been molested and manhandled by the police commissioner.
The PDP chairman stated that the party had lost confidence in the ability of the police to treat opposition parties with respect and demanded their “unconditional removal.” He also confirmed the party’s position that the REC and the commissioner of police be redeployed from Bauchi State for been “evidently biased and partisan.”
He said the party also resolved that Mrs Anosike, the returning officer for Tafawa Balewa, who is also a lecturer with the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, be prosecuted “for false information and perjury.
“Let me assure the public that the PDP will spare no effort at reclaiming the mandate which was freely given to us by the people of Bauchi State on March 9, 2019. I also urge all the people of Bauchi State to remain calm and peaceful.”
Responding to the PDP in a press conference, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Ahmed, Uba Nana, hailed INEC for the decision, saying that it was legal.
Uba Nana said: “It is what is supposed to be. If you look at it, a whole local government election was canceled. The margin was nothing to write home about; if you compare it with the registered voters, it is clear.”
The APC chairman accused the PDP of crying foul unnecessarily, saying: “If you have somebody who is used to committing an offence, he will run to the police station (first).
“The lady alleged that she was put under security threat. She wrote the result under duress. I would like to call on the security agencies to probe it and whosoever is found guilty should face the wrath of the law.
“The purported result was it in favour of the APC? They did it and they are trying to cover up.
“They maltreated the lady and compelled her to write the result in favour of PDP. Whatever happened there, the purported results, in whose favour was it written? Common sense will tell you where they were heading.”
Commenting on the rerun, the APC chairman expressed confidence that the ruling party would retain power.
He said: “I am calling on APC members to be calm and patient enough. The decision of INEC is quite in order. They should be calm and prepared for the day that INEC will announce. Our people are always law abiding. They should be law-abiding as usual because APC believes in the rule of law. We don’t promote impunity. We call on them to be law abiding and by God’s grace we will make it on that day.”
