By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi has called for the unconditional dissolution of the current management of Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) and the reconstitution of a credible body to conduct a free, fair and credible elections into the local government councils in line with best international practices.
The party, according to it’s legal adviser, Barrister Rabi’u Garba, similarly demanded for the immediate cancellation of the weekend local government elections in the state which, it said, was purportedly said to have been conducted by the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC).
The APC legal adviser, Barr. Rabi’u Garba told a press conference in Bauchi weekend that the party lost confidence in the management team of BASIEC, as he demanded for the unconditional and immediate resignation of Alhaji Ahmad Makama as Chairman of the Commission, having failed to uphold the sanctity of his subscribed Oath of Office
Barr. Garba cited example of electoral malpractices with Toro LGA where he said that all the election materials were left at BASIEC Office heavily guarded by security personnel and NO election was conducted in any of the polling units up to the moment he was delivering the press conference.
He said, “It is quite ridiculous and scornful for BASIEC to have winners declared in any of the Polling Units or electoral Wards of the entire Toro LGA; while in Bauchi LGA, the exercise was closely monitored. APC candidates won the election in all the polling units where votes were cast”.
He regretted that there wasn’t any presence of returning officers in the Bauchi LGA to make valid declaration of winners in presence of electorates EXCEPT the returning officer of HARDO Ward who was spotted and properly guarded until he declared the APC candidate, MUHAMMAD SALIM AHMED YERO as winner of the election in that electoral ward.
Garba, who was flanked by the state APC chairman, Alh. Muhammad Hassan during the press conference, revealed that in Tafawa Balewa LGA, there were deliberate mix-ups in delivering the election materials as materials meant for some polling units were exchanged with those of other polling units from different electoral wards, which turned the election an exercise in futility.
He added, “We have also seen instances where the PDP agents had a field day in ballot box snatching, massive thumbprinting of ballot papers for PDP and votes allocation to PDP candidates across all the Local Governments of Bauchi state”.
The APC in Bauchi therefore condemned and rejected the entire purported LG elections in question, saying “We blame the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) chaired by Alhaji Ahmad Makama for failing to ensure the right thing is done at the right time and for failing to resist the PDP Government in its quest for political dominance against the popular will of the people of Bauchi state”.
Barr. Garba while reaffirming the APC stance that the purported LGA election is unacceptable, assured that the party shall explore all legal avenues to reclaim its mandate and that the right thing is done, always, and commended the people of the state, particularly the law- abiding members of APC whom, he said, are always peaceful, focused and promoters of democracy and the Rule of law.
“Our appreciation extends foremost to our critical stakeholders at National and State level, the serving Political Adviser to the President of Nigeria, our two serving Ministers, Ex-Governors, political appointees, Ex-legislators, serving elected Representatives, particularly Distinguished Senator Shehu Buba Umar of Bauchi South Senator who remain indefatigable in ensuring that the APC remains paced up over other Political Parties in Bauchi state”.
Garba further explained that APC never relents in upholding the firm view of the electorate that elections must always be free, fair, credible and in line with the international best practices, hen
[19/08, 08:11] MUHAMMED KAWU: Garba further explained that APC never relents in upholding the firm view of the electorate that elections must always be free, fair, credible and in line with the international best practices, hence it acted within the confines of the law in preparing well to participate in the Local Governments elections, conducted by BASIEC which, he argued, turned out to be a political gimmick of PDP led administration in Bauchi state.
“We condemn in loud and clear voice the broad-day robbery of franchise and murder of democracy committed by Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) chaired by Alhaji Ahmad Makama who chose to sacrifice the mandate of the people of loyal citizens in the purportedly conducted Local Governments Election across the 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi state”.
“As we rightly pointed out earlier, BASIEC had no intention of conducting a free, fair and credible election. What we witnessed today in all the 20 Local Governments was a deceitful drama and mockery of innocent electorates and politicians”.
“The purported election was characterized by all sorts of irregularities including inadequate election materials, withheld sensitive materials and result sheets, votes allocation to PDP, absence of Returning officers to make official declaration of results, abandonment of election materials at Polling Units by fleeing electoral officers and non-election in most of the Polling Units across Bauchi state”, he concluded.
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