SOKOTO: APC rejects Tambuwal’s victory, alleges irregularities

The Sokoto State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Sunday rejected the declaration of Governor Aminu Tambuwal as winner of the just-concluded governorship election in the state, alleging irregularities.

According to the results announced by Fatima Mukhtar, Returning Officer for the election at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation center in the state, Tambuwal, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won the election.

Mukhtar announced that Tambuwal won with a difference of 341 votes after collation of results from 22 Local Governments Areas (LGAs), where supplementary election took place on Saturday.

Overall, Tambuwal secured the highest votes of 512, 002, defeating his closest rival, Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu of the APC, who polled 511, 660 votes.

READ ALSO: SOKOTO: Gov Tambuwal wins re-election with 341 votes

While addressing a press conference in Sokoto, the APC spokeman, Alhaji Bello Danchadi, rejected the declaration on the ground that the process was fraught with irregularities, which he said were duly reported to the electoral body.

Danchadi said the margin of 342 votes was far less than the registered voters in polling units where elections were not held, a development which he said contravened the electoral law.

He said the party had also registered its complaints to INEC, which included alleged outright rigging perpetrated by the PDP.

He alleged that some eligible voters at some polling centres were denied voting, and in some places repeated voting was recorded.

“We drew the attention of INEC to a number of polling units that were canceled as result of violent attacks by thugs, while others were arbitrarily canceled to please certain political party interests.

“In view of these, we deem it necessary to express our disagreement with the action taken by INEC to declare a winner without giving us a fair hearing in our position in the electoral processes,” he said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now