‘Declaring Bello Kogi Governor-Elect A Waste of Time’- PDP

‘Declaring Bello Kogi Governor-Elect A Waste of Time’- PDP
  …..Insists Wada Is Clear Winner

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