The Bauchi State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has rejected the conduct and outcome of the Saturday, 17th August 2024 local government elections in the state.
Tribune Online reports that the State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) declared the candidates of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as the winner in all the 20 LGAs.
Reacting to the development, the APC described it as a “broad-day robbery of franchise and murder of democracy committed by Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) chaired by Alhaji Ahmad Makama who chose to sacrifice the mandate of the people of loyal citizens in the purportedly conducted Local Governments Election across the 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State.
“As we rightly pointed out yesterday, BASIEC had no intention of conducting a free, fair and credible election. What we witnessed Saturday in all the 20 Local Governments was a deceitful drama and mockery of innocent electorates and politicians,” It stressed.
Continuing, the party stated that “the purported election was characterised by all sorts of irregularities, including inadequate election materials, withheld sensitive materials and result sheets, votes allocation to PDP, absence of returning officers to make an official declaration of results, abandonment of election materials at Polling Units by fleeing electoral officers and non-election in most of the Polling Units across Bauchi State.”
The party Chairman, Alh. Muhammad A. Hassan, stated that “of particular reference are the instances in Toro Local Government Area where all the election materials were left in BASIEC Office heavily guarded by security personnel and no election was conducted in any of the polling units of Toro LGA as at the moment of this Press Conference.
“It is quite ridiculous and scornful for BASIEC to have winners declared in any of the Polling Units or electoral Wards of the entire Toro LGA.”
He added that in the Bauchi Local Government Area where the exercise was closely monitored, APC candidates won the election in all the polling units where votes were cast, adding however that there was no presence of returning officers to make valid declarations of winners in the presence of electorate except the Returning Officer of Hardo Ward of Bauchi LGA who was spotted and properly guarded until he declared the APC candidate, Muhammad Salim Ahmed Yero as the winner of the election in that Electoral Ward.
He also stated that in Tafawa Balewa LGA, there were deliberate mix-ups in delivering the election materials, saying those meant for particular polling units were exchanged with others from different electoral wards, which turned the election into an exercise in futility.
“Further still, we have seen instances where the PDP agents had a field day in ballot box snatching, massive thumbprinting of ballot papers for PDP and votes allocation to PDP candidates across all the Local Governments of Bauchi State,” he added.
The APC State Chairman declared that “In view of the foregoing, we, as a political party, categorically condemn and reject the entire purported LG elections in question. We blame the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) chaired by Alhaji Ahmad Makama for failing to ensure the right thing was done at the right time and for failing to resist the PDP Government in its quest for political dominance against the popular will of the people of Bauchi State.
“We reaffirm our stance that the purported LGA election is unacceptable and we shall explore all legal avenues to reclaim our mandate and ensure that the right thing is done, always.”
The APC therefore demanded that having lost confidence in the management team of BASIEC, “we unconditionally demand for immediate resignation of Alhaji Ahmad Makama as Chairman of the Commission having failed to uphold the sanctity of his subscribed Oath of Office.
“We demand Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) to immediately cancel the Local Governments Election purportedly conducted on 17th August 2024 in Bauchi State.
“We unconditionally demand Bauchi State Government dissolve the current management of the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) and reconstitute a credible team to conduct a fresh Local Government election that would be free, fair, credible and in line with the international best practices.”
The APC commended the people of Bauchi State, particularly the law-abiding members of the party who are always peaceful and focused and promote democracy and the rule of law.
. TheWitness
