The African Democratic Congress, (ADC) in Kogi State has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Compromise of the Electoral Act in the conduct of the to order the Returning officer of Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in Kogi State, Dr. Baba Adamu to declare the candidate of the party winner of the election.
The Party also said over voting which was the reason for cancellation of result in a polling unit in Otu Ward is electoral malpractice.
Acting Chairman of the party Comrade Adaji Jibrin Udeli made the call on Monday during a Press conference in Lokoja where he expressed dismay over the alleged injustice melted on their candidate Arch. Salman Idris by the INEC returning officer.
Udeli, who equally accused the INEC returning officer of absconding without declaring winner of the election, noted that, the electoral body is yet to officially communicate to the party that the election is inconclusive.
The acting Chairman, who however, acknowledged that there were cancellations in some polling units due to over voting in the exercise, said their candidate ought to have been officially declared winner of the election because he scored the highest votes in the election.
He lamented that instead of the announcement of the result which the people of Kabba Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency in Kogi state duely voted for the candidate of the party, Arc. Idris Salman, the ADC Acting Chairman said any attempt to subvert the will of the people will be resisted by all legal means possible.
“It was not officially stated, but the INEC returning officer just disappear, from the scene, neither did he declared the result or declared the result inconclusive. The information reaching us is that four units were cancelled.
“The reason they provided was that, there was over voting, except one polling unit were violence occurred. If you look at section 51 of the electoral act, if the election is cancelled, it remains cancelled. Now the same unit that were cancelled, were also reflected in the declaration of the presidential result.
“I happened to be a state collation officer, one of the returning officer for the Presidential election in Ijumu also acknowledged that this wards were canceled, but the result was declared.
” It is not the responsibility of the returning officer to halt the declaration of results on the ground of cancellation, it is the responsibility of the presiding officer in the polling units. The decision for him to abscond, or carry out his duties accordingly, is something we are yet to know.
” We call on the Chairman of INEC to do the needful by declaring our candidate winner of Kabba/Ijumu Federal Constituency election in Kogi State. By doing so would be in conformity with the Electoral Act as well as averting crisis in the area” he said.
While commending INEC for the good job in the ongoing election urged the leadership of electoral management body to impress on their officers to toe the path of honour by respecting the popular wish of the people irrespective of whose ox is gored.
But in a swift reaction, the Candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), Prince Mathew Kolawole said the ADC is circulating fake result for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal constituency – APC candidate
The Candidate of the All Progressive Congress APC Kolawole Matthew, refuted the claim by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC issued duly signed result sheet for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Constituency.
