As palpable tension continues to mount in Plateau State
following allegations that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
connived with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate last Saturday
National Assembly elections in the state, the commission has continued to hold
unto the results, refusing to declare it for fear that there might be a
breakdown of law.
Youths from one of the trouble spots, the Plateau
North zone, have threatened to crackdown on INEC should they announce any
result different from the popular choice of the people.
The polls for the three senatorial seats and a
House of Assembly in the state were allegedly won by the PDP candidates going
by the results declared at the ward level. But the commission which cited some
regularity declared one inconclusive and held on to the rest since last
Saturday.
There are insinuations that the All Progressives
Congress (APC) government in the state has mounted pressure on the commission
to change the results in its favour.
Though INEC has denied the allegation, it has
however refused to declare the results despite pressure from various quarters,
including the PDP, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Civil Society
Organisations (CSO) among others.
The INEC on Thursday issued a statement to journalists
declaring that Dimka Hezekiah Ayuba of the APC won the Plateau Central senatorial
zone, a position that was immediately rejected by the PDP in Plateau Central senatorial
district.
The commission said Ayuba, a former Police Commissioner,
polled 149,457 to defeat Paradang David Shikfu, a former Comptroller of Nigeria
Immigration Service (NIS), of the PDP who scored 145,048 votes.
The statement by INEC’s Voter Education and
Publicity Head, Mr. Osaretin Imahiyereobo, on Thursday also disclosed that the
Plateau South senatorial election was declared inconclusive, while results for
Plateau North senatorial election was still yet to be declared.
Other results declared in the statement are those
for Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam federal constituency won by Yusuf Adamu Gagdi of the
APC; Shendam/Mikan/Quan’pan federal constituency won by Longgap Komsol
Alphonsus of the APC, while Wase federal constituency won by Idris Ahmed also
of the APC.
Others are for Barkin-Ladi/Riyom federal constituency
won by Simon Davou Mwadkwon of the PDP; Jos South/Jos East federal constituency
won by Dachung Musa Bagos of the PDP; Mangu/Bokkos federal constituency won by Solomon
Maren Bulus of the PDP, and Langtang North/Langtang South federal constituency
won by Beni Lar of the PDP.
Meanwhile, Plateau State governorship candidate of
the PDP, General Jeremiah Useni (rtd), has led all PDP senatorial and House of
Representatives candidates in a protest to the INEC headquarters in Jos to urge
the commission to declare the remaining results of Plateau North senatorial
zone and Bassa Jos North federal constituency without further delay.
No comments:
Post a Comment