Declaring Bello Kogi Governor, A Waste Of Time – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party PDP
describes as a waste of time, scarce
national resources and ridiculous
shadow-chasing, the action of the
Independent National Electoral
Commission INEC in declaring one
Yahaya Bello, purported to be of the
All Progressives Congress (APC), and
who did not participate in the
overall election, as Kogi state
Governor-elect.
The PDP said INEC, in the bid to
satisfy the President Muhammadu
Buhari-led APC Federal Government,
succeeded only in making a mockery
of itself and the entire electoral
process, by trying to illegally install
an individual who, apart from not
being a valid candidate, scored,
under his name, a paltry 6885 vote
in the so-called supplementary
election as against the 204,877 votes
polled by the PDP candidate,
Governor Idris Wada in the overall
election.
PDP National Publicity Secretary,
Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on
Sunday said “the action of INEC in
trying to transfer the votes earlier
garnered by the dead APC candidate,
Prince Audu Abubakar to another
individual is completely impractical
and alien to the nation’s Constitution
and the Electoral Act.”
“The declaration by INEC that one
Yahaya Bello polled the highest
number of votes is an embarrassing
travesty of the nation’s democracy
and electoral process. Not only that
this individual is not in anyway a
valid candidate in the election, he
also did not score the overall votes
declared against his name by INEC
and cannot be declared winner
under any circumstance within the
provisions of our laws.
“The provisions of the constitution
and the electoral act are clear to the
effect that with the unfortunate
death of Prince Abubakar Audu
before the conclusion of the election,
and the fact that the laws do not
permit the replacement of candidates
once the balloting has commenced,
the APC crashed out of the race,
leaving the PDP candidate, Governor
Idris Wada as the clear winner,
having garnered 204,877 votes to top
all other contestants since, Prince
Ababakar, the hitherto leading
contestant died with his votes.
“It is therefore unfortunate that INEC
disregarded the provisions of the
Constitution and the Electoral Act,
which left it with no other legitimate
option than to declare Governor
Idris Wada the governor-elect.
Instead, it went ahead to preside
over a charade, for which it is now
attempting to illicitly handover the
vote cast for a dead man to another
person, who did not participate in
the overall election.
“We all, including INEC and the APC
know that nothing other than
declaring Governor Idris Wada
winner of the election fulfills the
requirements of the law under the
circumstance. APC cannot have two
candidates in one election and the
bitter in-fighting within their fold
shows the absurdity of INEC’s
decision in that regard. Indeed, we
remain shocked that INEC could elect
to create such embarrassing and
inciting setting just to show its
‘friendship’ with the ruling
government.
“Our advise to the APC, Yahaya Bello
and their co-travellers in illegality is
that theirs is a mere pipe dream as
Governor Wada remains validly
elected within the dictates of our
laws under the circumstance.
“Finally, we charge all our members
and supporters to remain calm and
resist all provocations from the APC,
which is now seeking the
opportunity to trigger violence in the
face of their misfortune, especially
as the law will soon take the center
stage, right the wrong created by
INEC and declare Governor Wada
winner.”
Signed:
Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary