A group of INEC accredited Civil Society Domestic Election Observers in Kano state has faulted the declaration of Abba Kabiru Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the winner of last Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The observers, however, asked the electoral umpire to review the said declaration and conduct supplementary election in the affected areas of over 270, 000 cancelled votes in line with relevant electoral laws for the peace and progress of the state in particular and Nigeria at large.
Addressing a press conference Thursday in Kano, the observers group led by Comrade Friday Maduka as the team leader and Alhaji Ali Abacha as team secretary, said: “INEC should use the BVAS machines to check the figures on the Result Sheets form ECBAs for all the Local Government Areas, by so doing théy will find that the entire results being brandished by NNPP and their cohorts are falsifed and thus cancel all the false results. INEC will not single out some state out of thirty-six states to satisfy a certain political godfather and his movement.
“The rigging was massive and mind-boggling. Where did they get those figures they are brandishing in Gwarzo LGA, Tudun Wada LGA, Bagwai LGA, Dala LGA and Fagge LGA, etc?
“INEC went against its rules by declarng a winner while collation of result was still ongoing. Also the margin of lead which is about 130,000 votes is less than the total canccancelled votes of over 270,000. Section 65 of the Electoral Act is very clear in cases like ths. Therefore, the INEC hasty declaration of a winner in the Kano State Governorship election 2023 cannot be said to be fair to all the political parties involved.”
The observer said since INEC did a review of results in the case of Abia state, Enugu state, Adamawa state and Tudun Wada/Doguwa Federal Constituency, where a winner was already been declared by INEC but later reviewed the entire process in line with relevant laws in respect to the margin of lead and cancelled votes, “INEC should also review all the Local Government results in the BVAS or cancel the election reesult in the entire Local Government Areas where malpractices and obvious irregularities were observed.
“INEC should apply same rules to every state involved in this Gubernatorial Elections without bias and or preferential treatment to any individual or Political party.
“In conclusion, we the Coalition of INEC accredited Observer groups therefore state that the Kano State Governorship election of 18” March. 2023 was marred by irregularities, violation of the Electoral Act and INEC Guidelines and does not meet up with the international best democratic practices and principles for free, Fair, credible and transparent peaceful elections.
“INEC should as a mattes of national urgency, review the outcome of the election and have a retraction on its position and look in the direct of conducting a supplementary election in the affected areas of over 270 000 cancelled votes in line with our relevant electoral laws for the peace and progress of the state in particular and Nigeria at large.
“Finally, we condemn in strong term the post-election violence that greeted the state after the hasty declaration of a winner by INEC under the guise of victory celebration, resulting to loss of life and destruction of propertes.
“We urge the various Security agencies in the state to thoroughly investigate the incedent appropriately and bring perpetrators to book to face the full wrath of the-law while also appealing to the good people of Kano state to remain calm and law abiding by putting behind them the strings of violence.”