Sequel to the cancellation of some polling units in Plateau South Senatorial District and the declaration of result as inconclusive, the candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Senatorial seat of the zone, Barr. Peter Dandam Kefas, has raised the alarm that five out of the polling units where the supplementary elections are to be conducted have been removed by the Independent Electoral Commission.
He said failure to conduct elections in the five polling units amounts to the disenfranchisement of the people of the affected areas.
Kefas disclosed this while addressing journalists in Jos the Plateau State Capital.
He said, “As you are already aware, my election was declared inconclusive thus the rerun for Saturday. However, of great concern to us is the exclusion of about five polling units by INEC.
“Please note that these five polling units were included in the report submitted by the Electoral Officer (EO) of the affected Local Government Areas.
The candidate gave the names of the polling units as, ” Two in killar Wards of Langtang North, one in Bolyah Langtang South, one in Baltip in Mikang and another one in Kadarko District in Wase Local Governments of the state.
According to him, “In all these five polling units, election could not hold either due to the failure of card reader or violence as a result of gunshots.
“In fact in the case of Bolyah, there is a police report to the effect but yet for reasons best known to INEC these areas were ignored”, he lamented.
“We wish to state categorically clear that failure to conduct rerun in these areas amount to the disenfranchisement of the people from the affected areas which is an infringement on their constitutional right to vote.
“INEC must be seen to be fair to all by providing a level playing field, a situation where INEC is seen as an arm of the ruling APC government is bad for our democracy.
Kefas said as a party, they are ready for the rerun but urged the electoral umpire to restore the excluded polling units.
“We consequently call on INEC to as a matter of justice and fairness restore the excluded polling units as contained in the reports of the Local Government Electoral Officers before Saturday’s rerun”.
Meantime, the Vice Chairman of the PDP in Plateau South, Simon Domle, said he has lost confidence in the INEC chairman in the State because his actions have shown that he is biased.
Domle said, “Based on credible report, the INEC chairman, Halilu Pai, has vowed to announce the incumbent Governor of the state as winner even before going to the polls.
“We are, therefore, calling for his redeployment; if Adams Oshomole the APC National Chairman can call for the redeployment of the REC in Akwa Ibom because of perceived on national television, what is wrong for me to equally call for the redeployment of that of Plateau.
In his response, Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity Osaretin Imahiyereobo, said, “The supplementary elections will take for the Plateau South Senatorial District in six Polling Units in Shendam, eight Polling Units in Wase, twenty-seven Polling Units in Qua’anpan Local Government Areas and 65 Polling Units in Jos North for the Jose North/Bassa Federal Constituency.
Imahiyereobo added, that, “In shendam, the units are Yitpia, Blemblem Dam (Shimankar Registration Area), Angwan Burmawa, Ajikamai I, Ajikama III (Kurumba B Registration Area), Old Motor Park (Shendam Central A Registration Area). Wase has supplementary elections in Kadarko RA-Magarya, Rafin Dutse, Kumbur RA Kawa Tiv, Wadata Kasuwa II, Gamji, Shingha, Farin Ruwa, Chiwi (Tim-Shat), Mavo RA-Nyingilling.
“In Qua’anpan Local government, supplementary elections will hold in Namu Registration Area. The Polling Units are Kofar Simon Dama, Motor Park I, II, Dadin Kowa, Ungwan Haliku, Janta Kofar Ubandoma, Kofar Danbaba, Nkum, Dakup, Ungwan Jenta I, Hanchin Kare, AMingo, Kayarda, Ungwan Jenta II, Pandam Dane, Kop Dogo; Dokan Kasuwa RA-Espat, Yipia and Ungwan Hausawa II, Kwalla Yitla’ar RA-Koplong, Kopmeeja, Kopfogom, Kopmantung and Loegeot, Kwande RA-Ungwan Galadima I and II.
According to him, “For Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, supplementary elections will hold in the 65 Polling Units of Tudun Wada/Kabong Registration Area”.
Comentários