The ongoing electoral heist in Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu, a federal constituency in Kogi state, further gives nation-wide condemnation of the electoral umpire’s obvious lapses during last Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections across the country.
The brazen rape of democracy perpetrated by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, against the winner of the House of Representatives election in Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency proves beyond doubt that INEC has zero integrity and has been largely compromised.
At the federal constituency collation centre in Kabba, the returning officers and other INEC officers were showed clearly that they have corrupt tendencies as they kept making and receiving telephone calls from individuals with criminal interests in the process. After much hesitation, the returning officer for the federal constituency, Dr. Adamu Ahmed, finalized results from the two local government areas in the federal constituency which clearly showed that the candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Arc. Idris Salman, won the keenly contested election.
Dr. Adamu signed his portion on the results, as well as all political party agents at the collation centre. Copies of the result were given to party agents and security agencies at the venue.
However, without making any pronouncement as expected of him, Dr. Adamu bolted away to an unknown destination. We found out later he went straight to a hotel in Kabba reportedly owned by one of the contestants!
When he confirmed everyone had left the collation centre, Dr. Adamu sneaked back and announced that the election was inconclusive. Without a doubt, this pronouncement was financially induced!
Can INEC give out signed final results of an inconclusive elections?
Now, let’s take a look at the scenario that played out in the senatorial contest in Kogi Central senatorial district. The APC candidate, Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere garnered 52,132 votes to beat Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of PDP who had 51,763 votes. A difference of 369 votes between them.
Here, in Kogi Central, 12 polling units were declared inconclusive in Ajaokuta LGA and elections did not hold in 20 polling units in Oboroke, Okehi LGA due to violence. However INEC went ahead and announced Sadiku-Ohere winner of the election.
This scenario was exactly same as Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu and INEC declared it inconclusive! Does INEC operate on different laws when it comes to candidates other than the ruling party?
It is obvious INEC has zero integrity and its undemocratic tendencies should be condemned by all patriots.
The open rape of democracy in Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency by INEC has only added fuel to raging fire that may consume the commission and its head.
This corrupt approach to elections by INEC confirms the widespread rejection of last Saturday’s polls across Nigeria and calls for cancellation of the elections by politicians and stakeholders alike.
INEC have very small window to launder his battered image by righting its own wrongs, beginning with Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency.
Prof. Yakubu Mahmood must order the recalcitrant returning officer back to Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu collation centre to do the right thing by announcing the ADC winner of last Saturday’s house of representatives election.
In the meantime, I call on the electorate to be calm for just 48 hours but be ready for a total showdown with INEC if the right thing is not done.
– Adeyemi Lekan wrote from Kajola, Kabba, Kogi State.
