From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna
All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the just concluded Niger East Senatorial bye-election, Barrister David Umaru has described the plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership to rig him out of elective contests as foolhardy saying that such thought in the minds of the PDP administration in the state were not justifiable.
Umaru made this known yesterday in a press conference in Minna while speaking on the result of the Niger East Senatorial bye-election won by the PDP candidate, Dr. Shem Nuhu Zagbayi.
He noted that his political torchlight was shining brighter each time PDP stole the peoples mandate away from him adding that he was ready to do the will of the people in 2015.
Umar rejected the results in totality alleging massive rigging, stuffing of ballot papers, snatching of ballot boxes, monetary inducement of voters and intimidation by security agencies working for government.
He intimated that his party the APC was studying the result and would soon come out with a position, adding that “PDP is afraid of the will of the people that gave us their mandate but they have used their antics to subvert the will of the people”.
“However, the people of the zone and the state in general have spoken. PDP cannot stop the force of wind of change that is blowing across the state, we have done well and we have won the election even if PDP stole it away from us”, he said.
He therefore appreciated the electorate who came out en-mass to vote for him in the rains despite the intimidation and harassment by government officials deployed to polling units by the administration.
He lambasted the state government for deploying commissioners and other political appointees to polling units in total disregard to electoral laws adding that “in Niger state and the entire country, those who have power use it to entrench themselves in power while the vote of the people does not really count. But this will not last for long as we shall rescue democracy from the hands of callous leaders”.
Umaru expressed further appreciation to the people and his growing supporters and encouraged them to continue to be firm in the determination to entrench true democracy in the state.
