From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
The predictions of Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje have come to fruition as the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged hundred per cent victorious in all the elections held on Saturday in Kano to produce 44 local government chairmen and 484 counsellors to man the affairs of the three tier of Government in the state for the next three years.
Briefing journalists at the headquarters of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), on Sunday, the Commission’s chairman, Prof. Garba Ibrahim Sheka described the turn out for the election as impressive, but agreed that there was pockets of skirmishes which were not pronounced.
He said the exercise which has been described as peaceful by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and all the accredited observers, produced Victory for APC.
He appreciated Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for given KANSIEC a free hand to organize the election without interference.
He also commended all security agencies for playing vital roles to ensure that the election was peaceful and orderly.
The AUTHORITY reports that there was impressive turnout of voters during the Saturday Local Government election across the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano state.
Voting in polling units visited by our Correspondent started as early as 8 A. M as the Kano Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) made available electoral materials in good time.
Speaking to journalists shortly after casting his vote at Ward 008 in Ganduje town, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje expressed optimism that his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) will emerge victorious across the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.
According to him, “the election is highly impressive. You can see how people turned out to vote and it is peaceful. This shows that the election was accepted by all the people in Kano state.
“This gives us confidence especially as we don’t believe in a caretaker committee to be managing the Local Governments. Therefore we must have elected officials to manage the affairs of our 44 local government Areas.
“That is why we decided to conduct this election in the Local Governments to serve, as the end of tenure for those elected three years ago.
“From what obtains, you can see that people are orderly, the people are willing, the people are voting. There is no intimidation, there is no any harassment of anybody and they are voting the people that they like.
“Our expectation is that we will win all the 44 Local Government Areas and the 484 councillors through ballot box and not through intimidation.”
He called on the people to vote wisely, while assuring that those voted for will serve them accordingly.
“The message to the people is that they vote the people that they have confidence in and we assure them that those they vote for will work for them. It is a kind of franchise they are not being marginalised and they will get their dividend of democracy.
“So we assure them that they should vote wisely and they will get the dividend of democracy,” he added.
While casting his vote, the State Deputy Governor, Dr.Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna described the conduct of the local government election exercise in the State as peaceful.
He voted at the Magwan Primary School polling centre in Nassarawa Local Government Area.
According to him, the orderliness and peaceful conduct of the electorates and the process of the election is commendable.
“This election has shown our commitment and strength to democratic principles. I therefore commend Kano State Independent Electoral Commission for its effort to ensure credibility and transparency of the electoral process,” Gawuna stated.
The Deputy Governor who was together with his wife, Hajiya Hafsat Nasiru Gawuna at the polling centre, however, commended election observers, the media, as well as security agencies and other stakeholders for playing vital role in the peaceful conduct of the election across the 44 Local Government councils in the State.
In a statement by the Lead Convener, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Comrade Ibrahim A. Waiya, who signed an Interim Report by accredited observers of the election, also indicated that the exercise was relatively peaceful.
They commended KANSIEC, security agencies and the media for a job well done.
However, even though the Kwankwassiyya faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier insisted that they would not be part of the election, The AUTHORITY reports that the PDP logo was among the 12 out of the 18 registered parties that fielded candidates for the election.
