By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
As local governments election take place Saturday in Bauchi state, some electoral officers and voters have lamented late arrival of materials in Alkaleri local government of the state.
Also, All Progressives Congress(APC) in Darazo Local Government Area of the State has alleged that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has perfected plans to rig the election in the Area.
THISDAY checks revealed that electoral officers were still collecting the ballot papers and boxes as at 10am at the Election Materials Distribution Centre in Alkaleri.
In an interview with Journalists on election duty, the presiding officer of Alkaleri Central Primary School polling unit, Ukasha Abubakar, said the delay in the commencement of the election was because the local government was large and might take long time before the electoral materials reach some units.
He promised that the election would start at the polling station he was in charge as soon as voters were accredited.
Meanwhile APC in Darazo LGA of Bauchi State has alleged that the ruling People’s Democratic Party(PDP) has perfected plans to rig the election in the LGA.
But in a swift reaction, a chieftain of the PDP in Darazo, Nasiru Darazo, said the PDP from the state level had made proper arrangements for peaceful accreditation and transparent elections
Adamu Maichi, the APC Chairman in the local government made the allegation in an interview with journalists.
According to him, “I can authoritatively tell you that the PDP has concluded arrangements to rig the election, because as we speak they have blocked sensitive materials meant for many wards in the local government from reaching those wards.
” I’m just coming back from the Divisional Police Office to report to the police, and what will surprise you is that those thugs who block the materials from reaching those wards are doing so in the presence of other security officials”, Maichibi alleges.
He said the APC will reject the outcome of any election that violates due process.
Also speaking, Kawuwa Shehu Damina, a former Speaker of the Assembly, corroborated the APC Chairman, saying; “we have every reason to doubt the efficacy of the election.”
He said apart from the late arrival of electoral materials, “suspicious moves”, by the ruling party had cast doubt in their minds about the credibility of the election process.
Reacting, a chieftain of the PDP in Darazo, Nasiru Darazo, said the PDP from the state level had made proper arrangements for peaceful and transparent elections.
He said Governor Bala Mohammed “is a democrat, and I want to assure you that anyone who wins the election genuinely will be declared winner irrespective of his party.”
Darazo debunked insinuations that the PDP had perfected plans to rig the poll.
