By: Leon Usigbe – Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over what it described as a fresh plot to alter already declared results of the March 18 Adamawa State gubernatorial election.
The National Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party, Debo Ologunagba, made the allegation during press conference at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, saying that the party has been made aware of a fresh plan by the defeated All Progressives Congress (APC) and certain compromised officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state to further manipulate the outcome of the election.
He said: “As already declared by INEC, the final tabulation of results from the Polling Units across Adamawa State, the PDP Candidate, His Excellency, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, is in clear lead with 31,299 lawful votes above the defeated candidate of the APC, Senator Aisha Binani, who has been desperate to compromise the election against the expressed Will of the good people of Adamawa State.
“It would be recalled that the PDP had earlier alerted Nigerians of how the APC and some compromised INEC officials attempted to move the collation of results of the Adamawa State Governorship election from Yola to Abuja to enable the INEC Returning Officer declare the defeated APC candidate the winner; a move which was firmly resisted by the people of Adamawa State.
“When that plot failed, the APC pressured INEC to cancel results in 69 Polling Units citing overvoting but with the clandestine intention of manipulating the re-run election in favour of the APC candidate.
“The APC candidate has been allegedly boasting that she has the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and Returning Officer for the election who she reportedly claims are willing to manipulate the election results in her favour notwithstanding the votes by the people of Adamawa State.
“Such reported boasting by the APC candidate is in complete effrontery to the democratic right and Will of the people of Adamawa State to choose their leaders. This is evident of the arrogance, contempt and disdain to which the APC holds the people of the Adamawa State.
“It has come to the knowledge of our Party that the APC and its candidate, having realized that they cannot defeat Governor Fintiri in the 69 Polling Units, given his popularity and determination of the people, are now putting pressure on INEC to alter already collated and declared results in other Polling Units where no cases of malpractice or disruption of election took place.”
The PDP alerted the people of Adamawa of the alleged plots to alter and cancel the already declared results in 21 Local Government Areas where elections have been concluded and declared.
“This is part of APC’s plot to facilitate the manipulation and/or alteration of the already declared results in favour of the APC candidate against the expressed Will of the people,” the party spokesman noted.
According to him, the PDP has evidence of reported complicity of a top INEC official in which he was allegedly caught on tape directing the Electoral Officer of Fufore Local Government Area in Hausa Language to alter results in favour of the APC governorship candidate.
He said the action by the official is “reprehensible, sacrilegious, profane and unbecoming of an Electoral Officer,” the spokesman stated.
The PDP urged INEC to immediately relieve Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari as the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and hand him over to the Police for a thorough investigation and prosecution.
The PDP cautioned INEC and the APC not to, under any circumstance or guise whatsoever, tamper with the results already announced and declared at the Polling Units where election has been concluded and Returns made by the Returning Officers without any reported case of disruption or cancellation.
Ologunagba added: “people of Adamawa State already know the figures from the Polling Units as announced by INEC. Any attempt by the APC and INEC officials to tamper with the results already declared is a clear recipe for crisis.
“The PDP is firmly on ground in Adamawa State. Our Party and Candidate, Governor Fintiri are in clear lead and we are ready for the re-run election in the 69 Polling Units already announced to the whole world by the INEC Returning Officer.
“INEC should note its responsibility under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC issued Guidelines, that elections are conducted at the Polling Units where results are required by law to be counted, declared and directly transmitted onto the INEC Server/IReV.
“Adamawa State is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious State which is known for its peaceful coexistence. INEC must therefore not do anything that can disrupt the peace existing in the State.
“INEC should be conscious of its duty and obligation to ensure the development of our democracy and not allow itself to be coerced by the APC and its agents by whatever name called to disrupt democracy and corporate existence of our nation.”
The PDP called on the people of Adamawa State, it teeming members and supporters to remain calm “but very vigilant in resisting the APC and its candidate who are desperate to steal the people’s mandate for their parochial personal interests against the Will of the people.”
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