Aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State have taken to the streets to protest against the declaration of election in the council by the state independent electoral commission as inconclusive.
The APC candidate, Mr Yunana Barde was earlier declared winner of the September 4 Chairmanship election in Jema’a Local Government Area, when the Returning Officer declared that Barde scored 24,255 votes to defeat the candidate of the PDP who scored 23,215 votes, according to the aggrieved party members.
Party supporters took their protest to the office of the electoral commission (KADSIECOM) in the Kaduna State capital on Saturday expressed dismay and demanded the election body to reverse its decision within 24 hours and declare their candidate winner.
They vowed to resist any attempt by the electoral umpire to declare the election inconclusive or conduct a re-run election, insisting that the entire process was duly completed and winners returned by the returning officer.
While addressing journalists on Saturday, APC Leader in Jema’a LGA, Sanusi Maikudi, faulted the electoral body’s decision, claiming that his party won the poll.
He alleged that there were some calculated attempts to rob the ruling APC of victory in the chairmanship poll.
“We are collectively shocked, disappointed and dismayed by the calculated mischief, partisan afterthought and shameless attempt to commit a daylight robbery of the hard-earned victory of our great party, the All Progressives Congress of Jema’a Local Government,” he said.
On getting to the headquarters of the electoral commission, APC supporters accused the body of trying to truncate the people’s mandate.
According to an APC loyalist, Bege Katuka, the provision of Section 23 of the nation’s Constitution stipulates that after the Returning Officer has declared a winner in an election, there wouldn’t be room for another order.
Speaking in Katuka’s favour, another APC member, Cecilia Musa, said the APC is insisting that its demands be sustained in the local government.
“The election was declared free and fair by the Returning Officer of the LGA, Dr Sunday Ibrahim in front of the Peoples Democratic Party and everyone accepted it. We all shook hands,” she said.
However, Chairman of KADSIECOM, Dr Saratu Dikko-Audu, had declared that the
election in Jaba, Kauru Jema’a, Kachia and Soba LGAs where the council poll took place on Saturday 4th, September 2021, was inconclusive.
She said the results of the affected LGs were inconclusive because elections could not hold in some wards.
