By Daniel Tyokua
The Abuja original inhabitants have asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make the votes of the people count during the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections.
They stated this at the instance of the election slated for February 12, to elect the six Area Council chairmen with the sixty-two ward councillors across the territory. Mr. Danjuma Tanko Dara, who spoke in an interaction with journalists on behalf of the indigenous people at the weekend, urged INEC to evolve measures that would provide a level playing ground for all the electorate to vote candidates of their choice.
He said all the politicians and other key stakeholders are committed to issues that will bring about free, fair and peaceful exercise before, during and after the February election.
Dara also appealed to INEC to hurt anything that would lead to inconclusive elections which has always been used to deny the people their choice candidates.
He warned that a repeat of what happened in the 2015 general elections should not be witnessed in the forthcoming elections, as the people are bent on ensuring a change in the leadership structure of the FCT.
According to him, wrong political leaders have been elected because of some lapses on the part of the electoral body, and such should not be allowed to happen during this period.
“We are all going out to elect chairmen of our choice because we are tired of so many wrong things happening in the FCT as a result of wrong people elected to govern us. That is why we are appealing to INEC to make sure that our votes count.
“INEC should not allow selfish politicians to rig the election, and thereby put us in another round of suffering again. We need a serious political change in this FCT and we want to achieve that through the forthcoming elections.
“We want to also use this opportunity to advice residents and natives of Abuja to resist any financial inducement from politicians to buy their votes and conscience. They should resist financial temptations from selfish politicians” he said.
