The PDP in Adamawa state has faulted the position of Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) over its declaration of the governorship elections as inconclusive.
Addressing a world press conference in Yola, a former governor of the
state, Boni Haruna said the position of INEC declaration that last
Saturday’s governorship election is inconclusive is erroneous because
the “number of collected PVC’s in the 44 polling units in question is
less than the margin of lead which makes the conduct of a rerun
unnecessary.”
The PDP chieftain demanded that INEC rescinds its decision and
announced its candidate, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as the lawful winner of
the elections.
He added that INEC erred in basing its decision to declare Adamawa
elections as inconclusive on section 53, subsection 2 and 3 of the
electoral act which requires that elections should be declared
inconclusive when the winning mergin is less than the total votes
cancelled but according to him the electoral umpire had failed to
implement subsection 4 of the same act which stipulates that “INEC
should return the elections if holding elections in areas where votes
were cancelled would not make a substantial difference in the final
outcome of the elections”.
Boni Haruna said ” the PDP have reliably gathered that the total
number of permanent voters cards collected in the 44 polling units is
31,027, a figure that would not reverse PDP winning decision even if
reruns were held”.
“The results of March, 9 election announced by INEC shows that the
PDP candidate, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri won the elections by 367,472 votes
as against 334,995 votes by the APC candidate.
“The mergin of win by the PDP candidate is 32,476 votes.
“While we were waiting for the outright declaration of out candidate
as to have won by a clear majority, we were taken aback with INEC’s
declaration of the elections as inconclusive, on the grounds that the
mergin of win by PDP (32,476), was less than 40,988 in 44 polling
units where the elections did not hold or were cancelled.”
“The electoral body relied on section 26 and 53 of the electoral act
and regulations and guidelines page17 paragraph C to justify its
actions.
“We wish to state that the action by the electoral body to declare
Adamawa election as inconclusive is not only absurd, but unteneble,
most unfortunate and unacceptable.
“We wish to stated or note that the national Chairman had told the
world that elections starts and ends at polling units.
“It is our understanding that if elections were cancelled at polling
units or wards collation centers, it stands cancelled.
“we have been able to establish that the number of PVC’s collected in
the 44 polling units was 31,027, these are the only eligible voters if
there is going to be a rerun.
“The 31,027 is far less than the number of registered voters that INEC
relied upon to decline declaring PDP winner of the governorship
elections.”
Boni Haruna explained that, “While we concede that INEC was in order to rely on the provisions of law that if there were areas where the elections did not hold it can order a rerun, using the figure of 40,988 in the 44 polling units to declare the Adamawa governorship elections as inconclusive and ordering a rerun can not stand.
The party therefore rejects INEC’s declaration of the elections as inconclusive and therefore demands that INEC rescind its decision and declare the PDP candidate as the lawful winner of the March 9th elections in Adamawa state.
Nedo Habila Yola
