From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has strongly called on the National Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to for the sake of ensuring free and fair Thursday rerun election, remove the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).
The call was made in a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yusuf Idris Gusau, saying the party has received credible information from the state government house of a nocturnal meeting carried out till around 3am of Tuesday between the REC, State Government Officials and the PDP.
According to the statement, three major issues were agreed by the both sides in the meeting which attracted serious concern of the APC as a party and the people of the state especially as the meeting capitalized on how to upturn the Kaura Namoda South bye-election that held last Saturday in the state which was declared ‘inconclusive’ by the returning officer who also said a rerun will have to be conducted in five (5) other polling units.
“An impeccable source however revealed that the state government/PDP versus the REC met and decided that they will not use the BVAS machine in the rerun, this is because out of the 3000 contestible votes, they can easily manipulate the figures in favour of the PDP and declare it winner in the election that APC is already leading with over 1600 votes.
“Another crucial issue decided at the meeting is that only government house security personnel will be used, particularly the police and DSS. We have already reported the participation of the governor’s CSO and ADC who led some securitymen and thugs to destabilise ongoing elections at some units thought to be for the APC in order to rig, so allowing them to lead security will certainly mean only PDP will be voted for.
“Lastly, we also gathered that the REC received the sum of N250 million to perpetrate this act by compelling his staff against using the BVAS machine.
“We therefore wish to most importantly call on the National Chairman of INEC to completely remove the current REC from the rerun election and send a neutral person to handle it using the BVAS which was never doubted by either the APC nor the PDP at the initial exercise. The INEC should also investigate its REC’s corrupt participation in the matter like it did on persons of same position, who committed the same offence and were found guilty.
“In view of the government house security agents’ involvement in the last Saturday’s bye-election, we want to appeal to the Commissioner of Police, the SDS and the NSCDC Commandant in the state to stamp their authority on their personnel by directing all those on posting to government house to remain at their duty posts and not to be seen anywhere near the rerun election venues when the exercise is holding.
“Be rest assured that the APC will, as usual, remain calm and law abiding as long as the right thing is done”, the statement has explained.
While accosted for comment, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Mahmuda Isah, dismissed the allegations, insisted that, “I left my INEC headquarters office on Monday at around 08:30pm to my accommodation where I fell asleep exactly by 10:00pm and did not leave until late in the morning.
“The claim I held a meeting at government house with government officials and that of Representatives of PDP is baseless and unfounded, this is a mere lie, I don’t act outside the laws guiding my duties as Resident Electoral Commissioner, it is not character.
“The supplementary election will hold on Thursday as scheduled by the INEC in five polling units which will commence by 08:30am to 02:30pm, and I am sticking to only what is lawful without fear or favour, for those accusing me on what I do not know, I left them with Almighty Allah”, Dr. Isah has cried.
