Kefas Magaji, House of Representatives candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa federal constituency of Bauchi State, has disputed the results of the February 25 election, citing over voting and violence.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Mr Leko Gambo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency election in Bauchi state.
Announcing the results in Bununu, headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area last Monday, the Returning Officer, Professor Bala Dalhat, said the APC candidate polled 54,128 votes to defeat his closest rival, Barrister Kefas Magaji of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 52,314 votes while the New Nigeria People’s Party Quni Simon polled a total number of 5,662 votes.
Speaking with journalists at his residence in Bauchi on Thursday, Magaji alleged that results of Bununu and Dull wards in the constituency were highly inflated in favour of the APC candidate who was eventually declared winner by INEC.
He said : “From the result sheets we discovered clear evidence of over voting and the electoral law is clear that once there is evidence of over voting the presiding officer of that polling unit should cancel results of polls in that unit,’ he said.
” But that was not done in this case and it was computed, the entire results. And there were so many things we found out so defective in the entire process and we intend to settle them in court.”
Magaji said thugs invaded Bununu with AK47, matchetes and other dangerous weapons to and disrupted the process.
“Election took place in all the 31 wards in the constituency. Collation was done in all the Local Government Headquarters. Dass Local Governemnt Area finished their collation, brought in their results and by Sunday morning at about 10 am,’ he explained.
” By 12 pm of Sunday Bogoro had brought in their results. Tafawa Balewa Local Government which had nine constituencies had brought in their results but only one constituency, which is Bununu delayed their results, and at that time they had computed the results from Dass, from Bogoro and from 10 electoral wards of Bogoro Local Governments so results of 30 electoral wards was handy and on those 30 wards I was leading with over 3000 votes.
“They knew there was no magic they could do to bring out votes they could use to beat me so the best thing was to delay the results of that single ward.
” They kept delaying until they made sure they had recruited thugs from different parts of the local government and brought them to Bununu.
” The thugs came in with machetes, with sticks and with AK 47 rifles.
“When they knew they were around and when the thugs came in the next thing they did was to start beating, maiming and destroying vehicles. One of my vehicles was destroyed.
” Those with motorcycles, so many people were machteted in that way. They that in order to scare people away. When they had scared people away, they now brought out the results for that ward and by 1 O’ Clock they announced that they had beaten me’
” The PDP candidate called on his supporters to remain calm and law abiding as the party seeks redress.
” We are taking all legitimate steps to make sure we reclaim their mandate,’ he ‘said.
“The votes will not waste. Their votes will have meaning and purpose and it is on that basis I am calling on them to turn up for the next election for the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.”
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