2023 Rep. elections: ADC insists it won kabbaBunu/ Ijumu, Fed. Constituency, call on Prof. Mahmood to order RO to declare Results
The Acting Chairman of the African Democratic Congress ADC in Kogi state, Comrade, Adaji John Udale has called on the INEC chairman , Professor Yakubu Mahmood to prevail on the returning officer for Kabba, Bunu/ Ijumu federal constituency to announce the result of the election held on Saturday.
The party said, the said Returning officer Ahmed Baba has absconded since the collation of result which was duely signed by him, the party agents and security personnel, without declaring the result two days after the conduct of the election.
In a press conference held on Monday in Lokoja, the ADC chairman said, the election had been cancelled in four polling units as a result of over voting .
He decried the attitude of the Returning officer, Ahmed Baba who instead of announcing the result went under ground and since, Saturday, he has not been seen again.
He lamented that instead of the announcement of the result which the people of Kabba bunu/ Ijumu federal constituency in Kogi state duely voted for the candidate of the party, Architect Idris Salman, said any attempt to subvert the will of the people will be resisted by all legal means possible.
While citing the electoral Act that any polling unit cancelled on the basis of over voting remained cancelled, insisting that only a unit was cancelled on the basis of violence.
He wondered why the Returning Officer Ahmed Baba left his duty post and went underground to surreptitiously work with some elements to subvert the process.
According to him, ” The election result was validly signed by him, parties agents, and Security personnel. The four polling units cancelled as a result of over voting remained cancelled. The result was distributed to all the agents, but instead of going ahead to declare the result, he absconded.
” Lamentably, we begin to hear from some on official channels that the result has declared inconclusive. To our dismay, we read in the social media. No official communication, which shows that there is a sinister motive by the returning officer.
” We call on the INEC chairman Professor Yakubu Mahmood to call the Returning officer to order to come back to do the needful by announcing the result. We are peace loving party , but there is a limit to how we can calm our supporters. What we are saying is for the Returning officer to declare the result forthwith.” He said.
While commending INEC for the good job in the ongoing election urged the leadership of electoral management body to impress on their officers to toe the path of honour by respecting the popular wish of the people irrespective of whose ox is gored.
But in a swift reaction, the Candidate of the APC, Prince Mathew Kolawole says the ADC is circulating fake result for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal constituency – APC candidate
The Candidate of the All Progressive Congress APC Kolawole Matthew, refuted the claim by the African Democractic Congress (ADC) that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC issued duly signed result sheet for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Constituency.
On the contrary, Kolawole said what the ADC candidate is circulating as result is fake.
“Result were cancelled in two other polling units due to over voting which were not collated by INEC in line with the electoral act, and everybody agreed to it.
But the results cancelled in Otu Polling unit and Egbeda- Egga polling units was due to violence at the poll.
“We have video evidences of when the electoral umpire declared the result inconclusive. I wonder why the same body who earlier declared election inconclusive will later issue a signed result as been circulated by ADC. That shows that the ADC are circulating fake result.”
He urged the ADC to approach the INEC to argue their case rather than heating up the polity with their fake results.
He however expressed optimism that he will win the supplementary election as those places cancelled due to violence were his stronghold.
Video below
