NSIEC Bars SDP Man from Secretariat,  Denies Him Certificate of Return 

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Victorious Chairman Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Katcha Local Government Council of Niger State, Mr. Danlami Abdullahi Saku, was barred on Wednesday from entering the secretariat of the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC).

As a result Saku was not presented with his certificate of return for the victory he allegedly recorded in last Thursday’s local government election.

Saku with scores of his supporters traveled several kilometers to Minna for the ceremony only to meet a barricade at the entrance to NSIEC secretariat.

The armed security men at the gates were polite by softly asking Saku and his celebrating team to go back because he (Saku) was not among those invited to receive the certificate of return.

Saku who had earlier been declared the winner of the Katcha chairmanship race after defeating the APC’s Candidate, Mr. Musa Ishyaku, was shocked to hear that the victory has been annulled and that a rerun election will take place in three wards in the local government area.

The protests by Saku and his supporters fell on deaf ears before they were asked to leave the environment.

But 24 chairmen that were elected on the platform of the APC were given their certificates of return by NSIEC Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed Maburya, thereby preparing them for inauguration by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.

Meanwhile Saku has petitioned Bello, asking him to intervene by directing that his stolen mandate should be retrieved and given back to him.