SDP Wants Cancellation Of Guber Election In Kogi

By Georgina Humphrey

The Social Democratic Party, SDP, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the November 11 election in Kogi state.

National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Shehu Gabam made the call at a world press conference at the party’s Headquarters in Abuja.

I Alhaji Gabam who rescinded the result declared by the returning officer stressed that the November election was marred by irregularities and called for reserval.

The Chairman faulted the Independent National electoral Commission, INEC for declaring the All Progressives Congress candidate, Usman Ododo as the governor elect despite written petitions of irregularities in three local government areas.

“We humbly request the Independent National electoral Commission INEC to exercise its rights and obligations under the constitution of Nigeria and the electoral Act, 2022 to review the earlier incorrect declaration and cancel the results where there had been irregularities and processes contrary to the provision of the law, regulations and guidelines and Manual for the election” Gabam emphasized.

The National Chairman of the SDP noted that activities of INEC functionaries contravened section 51(2) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“Reported by our party’s polling agents who frowned at the ways and manners presiding officers of hundreds of polling units allowed forms EC8S where total votes cast and rejected votes together were more than the total BVAS accreditation counts physically shown to the polling agents“.

He further stressed that the summation of the total valid votes and rejected votes written on form EC8A exceeded the total votes cast as written on the same Form EC8A.

“Over voting also occurred in some polling units where total votes cast exceeded the count of voters in the voter’s register in some polling units, there were areas where voting didn’t take place at all and polling units agents were chased away, yet presiding officers returned phantom results as lawful votes count” Gabam added.

Alhaji Gabam explained that the Presiding officers allowed illegal voters who failed accreditation and marked “FA” on the voters register used on the election day to vote contrary to the guidelines and regulations.

” PVC counts of all those eligible to vote in some polling units are less than total valid votes cast even though these PVC counts were actually less than the count of voters registered”.

Alhaji Gabam called on INEC to declare Muritala Yakubu Ajaka as the duly elected governor of Kogi state.

Edited By Grace Namiji