By Nurat Uthman
The ruling People’s Democratic Party in Bauchi State has won all 20 Local Government chairmanship seats in the Saturday, August 17, Local Government elections.
However, the All Progressive Congress has rejected the results, describing them as robbery.
The Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission, Ahmed Makama, announced the results last night at his office, following the conclusion of the exercise.
Makama declared the results, stating it was based on the powers vested in him by the relevant electoral laws as the Executive Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission.
The newly elected chairmen are scheduled to be sworn in today, Sunday, August 18, 2024, at the Government House in Bauchi, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Mukhtar Gidado.
However, while reacting to the outcome of the election, the APC rejected the results, describing them as a blatant robbery of the electorate’s rights and a mockery of democracy.
Speaking at a press conference held at the party’s secretariat on Saturday, the APC legal adviser in the state, Barrister Rabiu Garba, criticised the election, alleging it was a political manoeuvre by the PDP-led administration in Bauchi State.
He condemned the election, stating, “As we rightly pointed out yesterday, BASIEC had no intention of conducting a free, fair, and credible election. What we witnessed today in all 20 Local Government Areas was a deceptive drama and a mockery of innocent voters and politicians.
“The so-called election was marred by numerous irregularities, including inadequate election materials, withheld sensitive materials and result sheets, votes allocated to the PDP, absence of Returning Officers to officially declare results, abandonment of election materials at polling units by fleeing electoral officers, and non-conduct of elections in most polling units across Bauchi State.”
The APC demanded the immediate resignation of Ahmad Makama as Chairman of the Commission, accusing him of failing to uphold his Oath of Office. The party also called on BASIEC to cancel the local government elections purportedly conducted on 17th August 2024 in Bauchi State and urged the Bauchi State Government to dissolve the current management of the Electoral Commission and reconstitute a credible team to conduct fresh elections that would be free, fair, credible, and in line with international best practices.
