•Alleges PDP compromised security, electoral body’s adhoc officers during polls
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Bauchi State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has questioned the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of the 2023 presidential and National Assembly (NASS) elections held in last Saturday.
It alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government compromised the security and INEC ad-hoc electoral officers in most of the polling units across the state.
Similarly, the party called on the Chairman of INEC to immediately transfer the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state.
The state chairman of the APC, Hon. Babayo Aliyu Misau, who made the call yesterday, while briefing journalists over the conduct of the presidential and NASS elections held in the state alleged that they (INEC) have become the machineries of the PDP that manipulate the electoral process.
According to him, “We unconditionally demand for immediate redeployment of the REC for Bauchi State and the Administrative Secretary of the Commission to ensure transparency and safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process.
“We unconditionally demand INEC to immediately disengage all of the illegal Presiding Officers and replace them with the genuinely trained Youth Corps members in line with the terms contained in the MOU between INEC and NYSC.”
Represented by the State Legal Adviser, Rabiu Garba, the chairman said: “We unconditionally demand that INEC must ensure that all of its ad-hoc staff are sufficiently trained before the next election of March, 11, 2023 to avoid the occurrence of unnecessary and deliberate irregularities capable of undermining the sanctity of the election process.
“As you are all aware, the presidential and National Assembly elections were conducted across the federation by INEC in tandem with the approved guidelines and timetable for the 2023 General Elections.
“We must commend INEC for keeping to its pledge to conduct the exercise as scheduled against all odds and apparent challenges. We further commend all stakeholders in the entire electoral process notably, the security operatives, civil society organisations, international observer groups, the media and most importantly the electorates who massively voted for our next president (Insha Allah), Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all other candidates of the APC in the just concluded elections.”
He added: “We in APC, have always maintained the firm view of the electorates that elections must be free, fair, credible and in line with the international best practices.
“From the results so far released, it is obvious that the electorates in Bauchi State have confidence in our great party, APC which created panic in the ruling PDP in the State.
“However, we must condemn in totality, the cunning move made by the PDP Government in Bauchi State to compromise the security and INEC ad-hoc electoral officers in most of the polling units across the state.”
Speaking further, he said: “For instance, under the INEC guidelines for the 2023 general elections, ad-hoc staff are required to be effectively trained on how to operate the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device and to as well, preside over elections at polling units.
“We have witnessed in some Local Governments Areas of Bauchi State where the INEC trained ad-hoc staff were replaced with certain card- carrying members of the ruling PDP who apparently manipulated the election process in favour of their party.
“Thus, in some polling units, they illegally cancelled the elections in APC controlled polling units caused deliberate malfunctioning of the BVAS machines, mutilated sensitive election materials, etc. We strongly condemn the PDP interference in that regard and shall take up the matter appropriately.”
