The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decision to resume collation of results in Rivers and Bauchi states ahead of supplementary elections declared in six states.
The commission had fixed March 23 for supplementary elections after declaring the governorship elections in six states as inconclusive due to violence, equipment malfunction, among other reasons.
However, INEC later said it would allow the collation of results in contentious Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State instead of conducting a fresh election.
The commission also said it would resume collation of results in Rivers State.
But reacting to the decision, the APC accused INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Information, Festus Okoye, and the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Obo Effanga, of conniving with the Peoples Democratic Party to manipulate the election results against the APC.
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The party’s position was made known in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, which read, “It is on record that Wike, through the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, engaged the PDP card-carrying members as local government area collation officers to skew the election results in favour of Wike and the PDP.
“Since the suspension of the electoral process in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike and Obo Effanga have been doctoring unit results in the Rivers State Government House to favour Wike.”
On Benue State, the APC accused INEC officials of working with the state government officials to manipulate the elections in favour of Governor Samuel Ortom.
“There is no doubt that our candidate obtained the highest number of legitimate votes obtained with the usage of card readers.
“In Plateau State, our comfortable lead is unassailable. We, however, urge our members and indeed the entire Plateau electorate not to be complacent, but remain focused as we prepare for the supplementary election that will give our performing candidate, Governor Simon Lalong, a second term in office,” the statement read.”
The APC also accused the Kano State Commissioner of Police of aiding the PDP to rig inside Kano city.
The APC rejected INEC’s decision on the governorship election results from Tafawa Balewa LGA in Bauchi State.
On Sokoto State, the APC accused Governor Aminu Tambuwal of using thugs and fake security agents to scare voters in the state. It also claimed that there was over-voting in Adamawa state.
However, the PDP insisted that it would win all the six governorship supplementary elections, adding that the alleged plans of manipulations by the APC would be resisted by the people.
Speaking on Sunday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kolaola Ologbondiyan, said that the party was undeterred in its imminent victory in the March 23 supplementary elections.
He said, “It is clear that the people have rejected the APC as clearly demonstrated even in the presidential election.”