LG POLL: Bauchi APC Alleges PDP, Gov. Over Planned Compromise, Rigging of Elections
By Adamu IMAM Bauchi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi State Chapter, welcomes you all to this Emergency Press Briefing on the attempt by the PDP Government in Bauchi to disenfranchise the citizens during the forthcoming local government Council election in the state.
It is common knowledge that the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) has scheduled to conduct Local Government Elections across the State on 17th August, 2024 pursuant to the Guidelines and Timetable for the Elections as issued by the Commission.
As Political Party and critical stakeholder participating in the said election having complied with all the issued guidelines and regulations released by the Commission, the APC have always maintained the firm view of the electorates that elections must be free, fair, credible and in line with the international best practices.
Thus, we duly purchased BASIEC Nomination Forms to all our candidates in the 20 LGAs of Bauchi State in addition to payment of Tax Clearance levies lump sums of money paid to the Bauchi State Government with full confidence that the elections shall be held in accordance with the law and owing to the fact that the electorates in Bauchi state has confidence in our great Party, APC which stance, create panic in the ruling PDP in Bauchi State.
However, "we must condemn in totality, the cunning move made by the PDP Government in Bauchi State to disenfranchise the people of Bauchi state by compromising the State Edisontra Commission (BASIEC), Security Agencies and ad-hoc electoral officers in all the Polling Units across the State.
The planned rigging of the fleetion was orchestrated as manifested by BASIEC. From the ongot the election Chairman of BASIEC, Ahmad Makama, announced the commithen the the electoral body to ensure a credible election, we thought there would be proper arrangements that would lead to transparent process and hitch free election. Unfortunately, we have noticed suspicious activities of BASIEC that threaten the integrity of the electoral process as follows:
1. As at the moment of less than 12 hours before the commencement of polls tomorrow Saturday, we have observed that BISEC has failed to provide adequate sensitive and non-sensitive election materials, including sufficient ballot papers and result sheets, at the designated voting centers across the state.
2. As gathered from credible sources we have reason to believe that BISEC intends to announce election results while voting would be in progress, which is unacceptable and a clear attempt to undermine the democratic process.
3. Currently our party is unaware of the identities of the presiding officers, collation officers, and returning officers for the election, despite having served the Commission with an official Demand Letter in that regard. This in fact, raises serious questions on the transparency and credibility of tomorrow's election process.
4. There has been constant scheming out of the APC in almost all the meetings with critical stakeholders held by the Commission concerning the election in question.
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress says, Consequently, we make it point-blank that they will not accept the outcome of any election the point-bland by such irregularities and shady elections. While condemnatis marred big move to rig the forthcoming election, we call on the BASIECY Censure a transparent, freehand fair wealtion that reflects the will of the people of Bauchi State Anthing less be a disservice to democracy and the citizens of Bauchi State.
They further stressed that, "we maintain that our Members, including the citizens and security services are watching our Menow the ruling PDP will influence ded teleguide the electoral bekeerlance to its tunes at the expense of democracy and citizens franbody to dane therefore call on the general public especially the electorates the very vigilant at this occasion to ensure we have hitch-free local government elections
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