APC calls for redeployment of Bauchi REC over presidential result
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of declaring the already concluded Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency election inconclusive.

Acting Kogi State Chairman of the party, Adaji John, who made this known while addressing journalists, said the party’s candidate, Salman Idris, won the election.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lokoja, Adaji noted that INEC’s Returning Officer, Dr. Baba Adamu, signed final result sheet and handed the document over to all party agents at the Federal Constituency collation centre in Kabba.

He wondered when a concluded election, with signed and stamped results, was declared inconclusive.

He called on INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to order Adamu to declare candidate of the party winner of the election.

Adaji, who also accused Adamu of absconding after signing the election results, noted that the electoral body is yet to officially communicate the party that the election is inconclusive.

The acting Chairman, however, acknowledged that there were cancellations in some polling units due to overvoting in the exercise.

He said their candidate ought to have been officially declared winner of the election, because he scored the highest votes.

The ADC Acting Chairman said any attempt to subvert the will of the people would be resisted by all legal means possible.

In a swift reaction, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Mathew Kolawole, said the ADC is circulating fake result for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency.

Kolawole debunked the claim by the ADC that INEC issued duly signed result sheet for the constituency election.

“Results were cancelled in two other polling units due to over-voting, which were not collated by INEC in line with the Electoral Act, and everybody agreed to it.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Bauchi State, has called for redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mohammed Nura, over alleged irregularities during the presidential and National Assembly polls.

The party, which polled 316,694 trailing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 426,607, said: “We have witnessed, in some councils of the state, where INEC trained ad-hoc staff were replaced with certain card-carrying members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who apparently manipulated the election process in favour of their party.”

A statement signed by the Party Chairman, Babayo Misau, and read by the party’s Legal Adviser, Rabiu Garba, reads: “They have, in some polling units, illegally cancelled elections in APC controlled polling units, caused deliberate malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, mutilated sensitive election materials, etc. We strongly condemn PDP interference in that regard and shall take up the matter appropriately.

Garba said: “Having lost confidence in the management team of INEC in Bauchi, we unconditionally demand for immediate redeployment of the REC in Bauchi and the Administrative Secretary of the Commission to ensure transparency and safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process.”