Borno PDP rejects Presidential Results, Alleges Elections Marred By Irregularities, Ballot Snatching
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno state on Sunday night rejected the way and manner the Presidential and National Assembly elections were held across the state on Saturday alleging that the whole process were marred with irregularities, ballot snatching and allocation of results by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in connivance with INEC officials.
Addressing Journalists at his residence in Maiduguri, Senator Mohammed Abba Aji, senatorial Candidate for Borno central who was flanked by other candidates of his party, said, while some states have free and fair polls, the story is different in the entire Borno where APC leadership with some INEC officials manipulating and allocating results to various polling units to themselves using fake ballot papers, ballot box snatching which violate the electoral act.
"We called you gentlemen to inform you that we the PDP candidates who contested in the just concluded Saturday 23rd February, 2019 have rejected the entire process and the results of the manipulated elections that was announced by INEC in the 7 out of the 27 Council Area.
" We have evidences of electoral malpractice, allocation and manipulation of results, ballot snatching and intimidation done to our great party by the APC.
"We are rejecting the results because, whatever is the outcome, the whole process simply violated the laid down rules and regulations guiding the system.
"There are also incident of ballot boxe snatching in Dala ward and other places. Elections that were conducted at units where PDP won with landslide victory were not officially announced as I address you gentlemen, rather the results were moved to ward before they were taken to designated Local Government Areas where manipulations by the APC is ongoing.
" Even in Gwoza Local Government area where there was an incident of bomb blast that prevented the entire voting process, it would interest you to know that, based on intelligence, we were informed that APC leadership with INEC officials are currently on their way to Biu to submit concocted election results.
"We have also gathered that in Mafa Local Government Area, the total number of votes purportedly being announced in favour of APC at the polling unit, is more than the total number of registered voters.
" We have alerted the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state on phone, but he told us that he was on the field and that when he coms back he will call us for next line of action because anything contrary to that, we have no option than to seek redress for cancellation of the results in the Court of Law.
"We however urge our teaming supporters to remain peaceful and calm as we await the next step(s) to take." Senator Aji said on behalf of the entire PDP candidates.
Five Candidates from the House of Representatives on the PDP platform attended the briefing. They are Ngala, Bama Kala Balge Federal Constituency, Hajiya Fatima Saleh, Konduga, Mafa, Dikwa, Hon. Alibe Alkali Bukar, Jere Bukar Shuwa, Abadam, Kukawa, Mobbar, Guzamala, Hon Goni Bukar among others.