The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticized the handling of last Saturday’s local government area elections in Adamawa and Delta states
While the APC and some other political parties boycotted the Adamawa election, it paerticvipated in some local governments in the Delta state polls
ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has won the chairmanship election in all the 21 local government areas of Adamawa State.
The Adamawa LG polls election results announced on Sunday, by the state Independent Eklectoral Commission, indicated that the PDP won in all the LGAs.
The PDP victory was however followed by the withdrawal of the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, and Social Democratic Party, SDP; both of which had earlier expressed a lack of confidence in ADSIEC to conduct a free and fair election..
The chairmen-elect as released by ADSIEC, include Demsa LGA: Akham Jaloh; Fufore LGA: Shuaibu Babas; Ganye: Farouk Mohammed; Girei: Adamu Umaru Dala; Gombi: Mark Ishaya; Guyuk: Kassah D. Shalom; Hong: Inuwa Usman; and Jada: Salihu Mahmud Sa’o
The others are Lamurde: Bulus Daniel; Madagali: Simon Musa Shashi; Maiha: Abubakar Mustapha; Mayo Belwa: Umar Nashong; Michika: Dan Biyu Paul Tumba; Mubi North: Musa Hassan; Mubi South: Hamidu A Jingi; Numan: Innocent Koto; Shelleng: Abubakar Musa Abba; Song: Idris Yahaya; Toungo: Sulaiman Gangkuba; Yola North: Jibril Ibrahim; and Yola South: Salihu Usman Malkoh.
Similarly, the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) on Sunday declared results of the Saturday’s local government area elections in the state, with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, winning in the 24 local government areas
This is even as the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) have described the election as a sham.
The results of the election were announced on Sunday in Asaba at the headquarters of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC.
DSIEC Chairman, Dr Jerry Agbaike, said the Allied People’s Movement, APM, won in one electoral wards in Oshimili South local government area, while the PDP won in all other areas.
But Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central senatorial district, described the election as a mere coronation of all PDP-nominated candidates.
He regretted that state electoral umpire most probably acted on the instructions of the state Governor, who he accused of allotting figures to candidates who took part in the shambolic process.
He described the elections as a complete sham and a mockery of democratic ideals and standards.
The Delta Central lawmaker while reacting to the outcome of the council polls held in Delta state said it is very unfortunate that people at the grassroots level are prevented from participating in our democratic process by state governors to freely elect their councillors and council chairman.
He added that the main opposition in the state, the All Progressives Congress, APC, sensed that the electoral umpire, DSIEC, was not going to conduct a credible election as predicted, hence most of the party candidates withdrew from the polls.
“It’s very unfortunate and sad how low our people can go to acquire power. It’s even more troubling that after 25 years in our democratic experiment, we can’t conduct what looks like an election at the local government level.
“What took place in Delta state on Saturday to all intent and purpose can’t be classified as an election. It’s a complete sham and an affront to all known democratic ideals.
“As predicted by political watchers that the Delta State PDP-led government is incapable of conducting free, fair and credible elections, DISEC proved all of us right.
“There were reports across the state that electoral materials, particularly results sheets were not supplied to many polling units, and in some cases, wards that were considered as strongholds of the opposition, voting materials were not supplied at all.
“It’s disheartening that our governors who are products of free and fair elections can’t replicate the same in the local government areas of their state. If INEC were to conduct elections the way the governors purportedly teleguide SIEC to conduct local government polls, many of them would not be governors today.
“I think at this point in our national history and democratic journey, we have to put partisan politics aside and work collectively to amend the relevant sections of our constitution to rescue the local government system from the grips of our governors.
“I must commend the laudable effort of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for taking the lead in this respect by ensuring financial autonomy for the local governments across the country.
“We must do likewise to enthrone democratic principles at the local government level by ensuring that a credible agency, possibly INEC, is charged with the conduct of local government elections across the country to guarantee our people’s participation in democratic governance,” Dafinone said.