Bauchi APC candidate, SSG differ on poll results

Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd), has said part of the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were written by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); hence, he will not accept them.

Abubakar contested the seat against Governor Bala Mohammed, who scored 525,280 votes to retain his seat. Abubakar polled 432,272 to place second.

While reacting to INEC’s declaration, Sadique said: “We are aware and our people are equally aware that election in Bauchi was characterised by primitive violence, thuggery, intimidation of opposition party agents, harassment of opponents and throwing up of APC agents in many polling units, where commissioners and local council chairmen took the roles of electoral activities, particularly in Bauchi town.

“The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) with some commissioners and local council chairmen were seen moving round from one collation centre to another throughout the night. When they get into the collation centres, they chase away APC agents there, take over the papers and write whatever they wanted. This is to say that the list is unfortunate,” he said.

But the SSG, Ibrahim Kashim, debunked the allegations, saying the government ensured free and fair election by not allowing anyone gain entrance into collation centres, except accredited agents.

“He (Abubakar) alleged that we went in and tore the election result sheets and wrote what we wanted. I sympathise with his ignorance. The collation sheet is just one; you cannot tear anything and write on another one. Let him ask his agents to educate him properly on how these things are done.”

Kashim said before the elections, they got report that some people were targeted, adding: “We wrote to the Commissioner of Police and the Directorate of State Services (DSS). We sought police and DSS protection. I was given four policemen and four DSS operatives. Let him go and ask the CP and DSS boss which collation centres we entered because I went with them everywhere.

“I was within my right as SSG and chairman security committee to go round and ensure that elections were credible and held in a conducive environment. I didn’t enter any hall. I went round with four policemen and four DSS operatives. So he should find out from those organisations. I am sure they must have filed in their reports.”