From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has outrightly rejected the outcome of the Saturday 25th,2023 Presidential /National Assembly elections in certain local government areas of the State, warning that it would not allow Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to perpetuate such electoral ‘fraud’ during the forthcoming Governorship election next Saturday.
Acting chairman of the Party Isaac Mffo who made this assertion at a press conference held at the party Secretariat Friday, explained that the rejection is based on a report received from their polling agents in over 5000 polling units in the State.
Mffo, who though refused to mention the local government areas affected, maintained that “it is for the reason of breaches of the electoral law”.
He said the party is calling for the cancellation of the results returned from those local government areas and has duly forwarded a Letter of Protest to INEC to that effect.
“After due consideration of the findings of the Legal Department, it is the position of our great party, the PDP, that the process of conducting both the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Benue State did not conform with the standards stipulated in the enabling laws for the exercise.
“It is our considered opinion as a political party and a critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s democratic process that provisions of the Electoral Act (2022 As Amended) in Sections 60 (5) and 148 which empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make guidelines for the conduct of the elections were grossly violated.
“In this regard, we consider it a matter of grave concern that Clauses 38 and 93 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Election, 2022, which make mandatory the transmission of election results electronically from the polling units to the INEC Server were serially flouted.
“The above identified breaches of extant laws raise a fundamental issue of non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, a situation which impinges negatively on the credibility of the election.
“We have equally mandated our Legal Department to approach the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja and the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi to challenge the results of the elections in those local government areas as returned and announced by INEC”, he said.
The acting chairman also raised concerns of renewed attacks on rural communities across Benue State in Kwande, Logo, Guma, Gwer-West and Agatu local government areas by suspected Fulani herdsmen which have resulted in loss of lives, destruction of properties including farms and consequent displacement of people from their lands, stating that such attacks, if not halted by security forces, will further worsen the problem of low voters turnout at the coming Governorship and State Assembly elections slated to hold on 11th March, 2023 across the state.
“We call on All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled Buhari regime to rise up to its responsibility by deploying security agents to protect the lives and properties of Benue people from the herdsmen who have terrorised the state for too long”, he appealed
On rumors making the rounds that the party Governorship candidate Engr. Titus Tyoapine Uba has stepped down from the March 11th,2023 Mffo said, “ the rumour is a lie fabricated by agents of opposition political parties which are afraid of facing our candidate at the coming polls, and it should be disregarded in totality as our candidate is not just still in the race but far ahead in the lead and most favoured to win and succeed Governor Samuel Ortom at The People’s House, Makurdi come May 29th, 2023.
