By Baba Shehu Oscu, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned and rejected the declaration of the state gubernatorial election as inconclusive.
State chairman of the party, Alhaji Hamza Koshi Akuyam who made the position of the party known Monday at a Press Conference at NUJ Press Center Bauchi, said the declaration was unconstitutional as according to him, the State Returning Officer has no legal power to cancel an election whose result was duly signed by Presiding Officers.
The chairman who noted that the election was at completion stage before its declaration as inconclusive, regretted that the State Returning Officer did not consult Political Parties before taking the decision.
He recalled that, similar development was witnessed in Katagum Local government area during the Presidential and National Assembly elections just like that of Tafawa Balewa, where INEC accepted the results and computed it along with others and wondered why this was made exceptional.
Akuyam said the Returning Officer and Electoral Officer for the Tafawa Balewa Area have earlier demanded that the total votes scored be brought to Bauchi for declaration, while the party and security Agents demanded that the result be declared at the collation Center as required by law.
Koshi Akuyam alleged that the State Returning Officer and Commissioner of Police have planned to rob the People’s Democratic Party of lawful votes cast from Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area in which APC lost, and therefore demanded for the unconditional redeployment of the State Commissioner of Police and State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner.
