…Demands cancellation
A political group in Gombe state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Inuwa organisation Network, said that the Local government election slated for Saturday 25th of February, did not take place due to non availabilities of voting materials, result sheets and other sensitive materials meant for the exercise across the state.
The organisation, therefore, called on the state Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) to fix another date for the exercise.
A statement signed by the spokesman of the group Kabir Mohammed, and made available to newsmen in Abuja called on the Chairman of Gombe SIEC, to ensure that his agency deliver a credible election acceptable to all political parties in the contest.
The statement described what happened in the state on Saturday as a “heavily compromised arrangement by the SIEC in the hands of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
“Contrary to earlier denial by the GOSIEC Commissioner for Public Affairs, Mr. Kalagar Kudi Lubo, it will not withhold sensitive election materials to deny opposition political parties to participate in the election, the reverse is the case today in Gombe.
“GOSIEC leadership had successfully allowed themselves to be used by the PDP. This is not surprising, election manipulation is a trade this dying party understand the most.”
While giving a catalogue of irregularities which characterised the exerciae and why such election could not stand, Mohammed said the obvious absence of Result Sheets in all the polling units across the state, is a threat to free and fair election.”
He also demanded an answers on “why sensitive materials passed the night in some police stations? Are the materials under arrest or safe keeping?.
“The fact that the measure instrument of election being the Sensitive materials and the result sheets are not made available, there is need for the LGA election to be cancelled.”
While calling on all lovers of democracy to call GOSIEC to order and do the right thing, Inuwa organisation Network said “duplication of sensitive materials by the State electoral empire undermines tbe essence of democracy,” describing it as a “mess”
