An allegation has been made by the Bauchi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, accusing the State Independent Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party of plotting to manipulate today’s local government election in favor of the ruling PDP.
In an emergency press conference held in the early hours of Saturday, the APC raised concerns over reports indicating that the government and the commission had compromised the credibility of the electoral process.
Speaking on behalf of the State Chairman of APC, party’s Legal Adviser Rabiu Garba stated, “Less than 12 hours before the start of the Saturday poll, it has come to our attention that BASIEC has not adequately supplied sensitive and non-sensitive election materials, such as enough ballot papers and result sheets, to the designated voting centers across the state.
“Based on reliable sources, our belief is that BASIEC plans to announce election results while voting is ongoing, a move that is intolerable and a deliberate attempt to undermine the democratic process.
“At present, our party is not provided with the identities of the presiding officers, collation officers, and returning officers for the election, despite our official request to the commission. This raises serious doubts about the transparency and credibility of tomorrow’s (Saturday) election process.”
Garba mentioned that the APC has been consistently sidelined in various meetings with key stakeholders held by the Commission regarding the said election.
The APC declared its stance of rejecting any election outcome marred by irregularities and dubious practices, emphasizing the need for BASIEC to conduct a transparent, fair election that truly represents the will of the people of Bauchi State.
“Nevertheless, we strongly denounce the deceptive tactics employed by the PDP government in Bauchi state to disenfranchise the citizens by influencing the State Independent Electoral Commission, BASIEC security agencies, and ad-hoc electoral officers in all polling units statewide. This planned election manipulation by BASIEC has been evident,” stated the APC.
According to PUNCH Online, the press conference was attended by Senator Shehu Umar Buba representing Bauchi South, APC Chairman Mohammed Hassan, and other prominent party figures in the state.
In response to the allegations, a Bauchi PDP chieftain Abdullahi Mato dismissed the claims as unfounded and baseless when contacted by the press.
He remarked, “These accusations hold no merit.
“Bauchi is predominantly a PDP-controlled state; hence, PDP members are confident about the LG elections due to the developmental initiatives carried out by the PDP government across the state.
“PDP’s projects are visible in every local government in Bauchi, unlike the APC, which governed for four years without leaving a significant legacy. How could they expect to garner votes?”
He emphasized that residents assess based on accomplishments, not mere rhetoric, making the APC wary of the competition.
Another PDP stalwart in the state, Abubakar Musa, questioned, “If the PDP were truly rigging the election as claimed by the opposition, why would the governor instruct all party stakeholders to campaign and solicit voter support?
“The APC has neglected to campaign and now seeks sympathy from the public.”
He added, “This is typical of APC’s political strategy – propagandizing and abstaining from active participation or seeking votes, only to cry foul on the brink of elections.”