INEC Fixes FCT Rerun Elections for Wednesday

• APGA protests commission’s inconclusive verdict

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has said it will conduct rerun elections in 39 polling units in 20 registration areas of the capital city wednesday.

The results from the affected polling units were cancelled for reasons ranging from violence, over voting and non-use of Smart Card Readers for accreditation of voters.

In a statement signed by the Resident Electural Commissioner (FCT), Prof. Jacob Jatau, the commission said accreditation and voting tomorrow, would begin simultaneously from 8a.m. to 2p.m.

The commission which had been criticised by some stakeholders over its frequent recourse to declaration of inconclusive elections, urged the political parties and their candidates to toe the path of peace to ensure the conclusion of the electrons

The commission had declared elections in five of the six local council areas inconclusive due to alleged mass irregularities.

The affected council areas are: Abuja Municipal Area Council, Kuje, Gwagwalada and Abaji.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has urged the INEC to officially declare its candidate for the Gwagwalada Area Council’s election conducted last Saturday, Hon Adamu Mustapha Danze, the winner of the poll.

The party said having scored the highest number of lawful votes cast after the collation of results from various polling booths with the figure 15,312.00 as against APC 14,546.00 and PDP 6,082.00, INEC has no genuine reason to deny him victory.

The commission had declared election in five of the six area councils inconclusive, attributing its decision to widespread irregularities which affected substantial part of the areas involved in the election.

However, in a statement Issued yesterday in Abuja by APGA’s National Director of Publicity, Ifeanacho Oguejiofor, the party urged President Muhammadu Buhari and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on INEC to avoid any action that would destroy the country’s emerging democracy.

The party alleged that information at its disposal indicated that there were strong pressure on INEC not to declare APGA winner, adding that APGA’s victory is being seen “as a big shame and unmitigated disgrace to the minister of the FCT and the presidency.

“The minister, according to information, was mounting strong pressure on the officials of the commission not to announce APGA as the winner of the election, rather, the Returning Officer in the election was made to cancel two polling units’ results and declare the election inconclusive, to allow APC rig the rerun election.

“However, APGA wishes to caution INEC to be mindful of its actions and not to collude with some unpatriotic politicians and antidemocratic forces to deny APGA its clearly won election and the people’s mandate in order not to incur the wrath of God and the people of Gwagwalada who had made their choice-which democracy is all about.
“Therefore, INEC should allow the votes of the people count without any manipulation from any quarter, especially from the electoral body. Also, maybe INEC needs to be reminded that he who sows whirlwind will definitely reap cataclysm, hence the commission is advised to better forestall that now than to ignite a wild fire in Gwagwalada Area Council for no just cause.”

“APGA calls on the presidency, the Inspector General of Police (IG) and Nigerians to call INEC to order to avoid jeopardising our hard earned democracy.”

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