As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continue to collate and announce the results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the national leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected results from seven states of the federation.
The deputy national chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, on Monday at a press briefing, told The Sun correspondent that the national working committee of the party had petitioned the INEC.
He said the electoral umpire was petitioned for alleged electoral malpractices in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, Katsina and Kogi states.
The deputy national chairman explained that in the seven aforementioned states, underage voters were allowed to cast their ballot; a development he said was contrary to the provision of the Electoral Act. He also added that voting took place late in the night in the affected states.
“In Kano and some of these states in the North, majority of voters were under-age. Voting also took place in the night and you know that in the night rigging can take place. We have completed our reports from Kano State chapter,” Secondus said.
He raised alarm that even in Gombe State where Boko Haram terrorists group attacked three local councils during collation of results, the APC was declared winner of such areas.
In a related development, Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, at a separate briefing on Monday in Abuja, reiterated his claim that the party’s presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was cruising home to victory.
According to him, Jonathan was ahead of his closest contender, General Muhammadu Buhari with ‘at least two to three million votes.’
The former Aviation Minister also warned that the PDPPCO would not accept any results not favourable to President Jonathan.
“We wish to take this opportunity to make it clear to the Nigerian public that according to the figures made available to us, we are ahead in the presidential elections by at least two to three million votes. We have our own Situation Room and we have collated all our figures from the various polling booths, wards, local government areas and states in the Federation. Despite the propaganda of the opposition, we are confident of victory. They and all other stakeholders can be rest assured that we will accept nothing less than the announcement of an election result that is truthful and that reflects the true will of the Nigerian people. Any attempt to manipulate figures or to rig us out from any quarter will be firmly resisted,” Fani Kayode said.
Asked by reporters whether his open declaration of Dr Jonathan as the leading candidate was not an open defiance to INEC national chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega’s admonition that contending parties should defer to the electoral body on outcome of the elections,
When newsmen asked if he was not disobeying INEC’s directive by openly saying President Jonathan is leading in polls, since the electoral umpire has said that it is only the results they announced they will be accepted, Fani Kayode said he was relying on a reliable and credible sources.
“Ask Professor Jega, whether it is true or not that PDP agents were there by law in every polling units across the country. Our agents know how to transmit figures to us. So, our source is credible and I expect INEC chairman to be aware of that because we have our process of cross-checking figures. Any attempt to present figures that isn’t in conformity with the expectations of Nigerians will be resisted. There are forces, bent on frustrating the process and ensuring that their candidate is announced. We are very confident and we await the results,” Jega said.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has also rejected the results of the Ogun East Senatorial Districts and that of the two Federal Constituencies in Ijebu North, Ijebu East, and Ogun Waterside.
The All Progressives Congress, Bayelsa State chapter, had also rejected the declared results of the last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
With the delays accompanying the announcement of the National Assembly and Presidential elections results, there are fears that there might still be many other cases of rejected results as Nigerians patiently await the winner of the presidential poll
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