By Stephen Adeleye.
Some chieftains of PDP and APC in Mopamuro Local Government Areas of Kogi, on Saturday expressed mixed feelings over the rescheduled of the House of Assembly election in the area by INEC.
The INEC rescheduled the House of Assembly election to Sunday March 10, due to wrong ballot papers that were taken to the area.
The ballot papers belonging to Akpa LGA in Kogi East, were taken to Mopamuro LGA, development that was discovered in the early hours of Saturday (election day).
Mr Yomi Awoniyi, PDP chieftain and a former Kogi Deputy Governor, said that they felt rather disappointed as a party for the error of wrong ballot papers committed by INEC.
According to Awoniyi, all their party faithful are ready to vote; all sorts of insinuations are being made that it was the third force that is behind all these postponement.
”But like in any other human endeavor, there are bound to be mistake here and there, but we hope that INEC would do the right thing tomorrow.
”Though INEC is trying their best, but as we all can see, there is still room for improvement.
”I think I must commend INEC for responding very quickly to making the replacement and giving us the assurance that the election would go on tomorrow,” Awoniyi said.
He commended party officials across the political divide for taken the right decision by insisting that the election be rescheduled instead of mutilating the wrong ballot papers that were erroneously brought to be used.
He, however, expressed his major concern about security threat following the charge allegedly made by Gov. Yahaya Bello, that all his political appointees must make sure they deliver their various LGAs in Kogi west to APC.
”This was as a result of the earlier election for the senatorial district where Dino Melaye was elected and returned.
”There has been a serious escalation of tentions in Kogi west and even beyond; we have never had it like this before.
”In Yagba west, the PDP candidate in this election was arrested and locked up, and because of his medical condition, he slumped and is presently in the hospital as we speak.
”So, our major concern is the security challenge we are having in the state.
”We need to be assured that we would have an enabling environment, because the threat by the ruling party APC was too much.
”Over the night, our people cannot sleep because of gun shots.
”I can tell you authoritatively that none of this heinous act was from the PDP but everything is from the ruling party APC. Something needs to be done urgently,” Awoniyi said.
He enjoined PDP members and sympathizers to exercise patient and be calmed, and turnout in their numbers tomorrow for the rescheduled election and vote for PDP.
Another PDP chieftain in Mopamuro, rtd Commodore Folusho Daniel, said that nobody could believe that INEC could be so incompetent to this level.
”This is an election that gave notice of four years; It is a sham and a shame, It is untenable and unacceptable.
”It is a crack display of gross incompetence and negligence on the part of INEC.
”We woke up to the sad news that election will not hold in Mopamuro today.
”We thought it was a rumour that will soon go away. But it turned out to be the reality.
”The reason given for the postponement was ludicrous as it was ridiculous.
”How on earth will INEC bring the voting materials meant for Ankpa to Mopamuro?” Daniel lamented.
According to him, so many people have programmed themselves for today’s election, but now we have to spend another day at home, with all the attendant costs and inconveniences, hoping that it will hold tomorrow.
The former Kogi House of Assembly member, stressed that another problem was that with this postponement, enthusiasm would start to wane.
”Certainly, the number of willing voters would reduce by tomorrow. You also need to factor the fact that this is a predominantly Christian community.
”So many will prefer to be in the church than coming to wait on queues for election.
”Rumors are also all over Mopamuro that INEC wanted to rig the election by all means.
”We want to know how the mistake was possible with all the checks and balances we expect INEC to do to avoid this kind of mistake and embarrassment.
”On our part, we shall continue to encourage our people to be calm.
”We only hope and pray that by tomorrow we shall not have another excuses from INEC,” Daniel said.
Mr Bisi Alonge, a stalwart of APC in Mopamuro, urged the electorate to remain calm and exercise patient about the postponement of the election.
According to him, there should be no cause for alarm on the postponement since there was a mistake in the ballot papers brought to Mopamuro LGA.
He, therefore, urged the people to come out end masse and cast their votes for APC on Sunday March 10.
