From Celestine Ihejirika, Jalingo
The All Progressive Congress (APC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), have expressed dismay on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and son of the Emir of Muri, Engr. Sadiq Abbas Tafida, as winner of the Jalingo/ Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency.
On the supplementary rerun election held Wednesday in the affected 24 pulling units of the constituency, the INEC Returning Officer, prof. Olarewaju Philip, while declaring the results in Jalingo on Thursday said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored the highest number of 19,681 votes to defeat his closest rival of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who scored 16,379 votes, while the candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) scored 12,662 and 3,646 votes, respectively, thereby declaring Engr. Sadiq Abbas Tafida of the PDP as duly-elected.
Speaking to newsmen in Jalingo, the State chairman of APC Barr. Ibrahim El-sudi, faulted the entire process and accused the PDP of perfecting the ground and robbed them of victory, having allegedly connived with the INEC to announce supplementary rerun election only for the SDP and PDP shortly after the February 3rd rerun before sudden allowing the eleven political parties to take part in the supplementary rerun.
To the SDP faithful, the entire process were stage-managed even when it had become obvious that the SDP was leading on the first rerun before the cancellation of 24 units/polling centers by INEC.
Those who spoke on condition of anonymity accused Governor Agbu Kefas and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of taking sides in the exercise.
On whether the election will be challenged at the court, they simply told our correspondent to be on the watch, and that sooner or later they will make their intentions known to the public.
Speaking on the outcome of the election, winner of the election, Engr. Tafida and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Alh. Abubakar Bawa, expressed appreciation to God and thanked Gov. Kefas for providing the enabling environment to ensure that the election was peaceful.
Engr. Abbas noted that the collective resolve of the other nine aspirants of the PDP to step down for him during primaries will not be taken for granted.
According to him, Gov. Kefas has shown lots of commitment to ensure that the exercise was conducted in an atmosphere devoid of crises and pledged to tow the line of the Governor in the area of provision of education, peace and job creation among youths and women in the Constituency and thanked PDP members and the electorates for the show of love and support, before, during and after the election.
It will be recalled that the rerun was declared inconclusive on February 4th 2024 by INEC Returning Officer Prof. Daniel Ayuba following the cancellation of 24 pulling units.
