The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna state has kicked, alleging fraud and irregularities, as Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leads from the results released so far in the Saturday gubernatorial election.
Results from 11 local government areas so far collated at the INEC headquarters in Kaduna show that, Governor El-Rufai has won in seven local government areas of Makarfi, Soba, Kudan, Ikara, Kauru, Kubau and Giwa.
Meanwhile, the opposition candidate, Hon. Isa Ashiru has won in four local government areas of, Kachia, Kaura, Jaba and Kajuru.
However, PDP said that it would not accept the results due to what it referred to as doctored results and result writing by government officials.
Chairman of the party, Hon. Felix Hassan Hyet, alleged that the elections in Kaduna state was marred by intimidation by security agencies, vote buying, ballot box snatching, ballot box stuffing and laying siege on Kagarko and Sanga local government area by security agencies to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Addressing journalists in Kaduna on Sunday, Hyet said, “I want to commend the voters for conducting themselves in civil manner despite unnecessary interference by security agencies. There was public vote buying in Zaria local government by government officials, snatching of ballot boxes in Chikun local government area.
“The worst case was in Birnin Gwari where there was no voting, ballot boxes were snatched and returned the next day stuffed with results. Kagarko and Sanga local government areas are currently under siege by security agencies in an effort to change the results in favour of the ruling party.
“Results were forcibly changed in Rigasa, Igabi local government area. The EO (Electoral Officers) are summoned to government house to present the results to the Governor for him to see and approve before authorising it. We have our results with our agents.
“Based on all these irregularities, we would not accept any doctored results that is announced by INEC because we have the original results from our agents on ground. INEC should be the umpire that everybody expect them to be. The will of the people have been pushed to the background by the activities of security agencies.
“Our people should remain calm, we would not accept any adulterated result from INEC. If anything comes out contrary to the mandate of the people we would not take it,” the PDP chairman added.
Commenting on the apathy witnessed by the elections, the former aviation minister said it was due to what happened during the presidential and National Assembly elections. “There was deployment of military and security personnel in a civil situation to intimidate and harass the people.”
Meanwhile, collation of results has been adjourned to 8:00pm to allow the remaining 12 local governments areas arrive.
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