PDP, others reject results in States won by Buhari over violence, infractions, cancelled votes

As the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC continues with the national collation of the last Saturday’s Presidential election results from the states, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peoples Coalition Party, PCP,  the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA, Young Progressives Party, YPP and Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN have rejected the results from states won by Buhari, the Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to the opposition parties,  results in States such as Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa were announced in favour of Buhari despite violence, infractions and large number of cancelled and rejected votes.

Osita Chidoka, PDP National Collation Centre Agent particularly said, it was wrong for the returning Officer for Kogi State Presidential election, Michael Adikwu, Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja announce results in Dekinna despite earlier agreement.

Chidoka noted that apart from violence claiming lives which marred the elections, the Smart Card Reader was not used for accreditation in many polling units and results there were to be cancelled according to INEC guidelines and regulations for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

Adikwu while presenting the results in which Buhari scored 285, 894 votes to defeat his closet rival Atiku Abubakar of the PDP with 218, 207 said election was marred in 69 polling units across the State while 32, 480 votes were rejected.

Godwin Chinma, National Collation Agent for PCP in his submission decried the large difference total number of accredited voters and total number of vote cast in some states particularly, Kwara, Kogi Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Chinma stated that differences between total number accredited and voted in Kwara and Kogi amounted to 17, 000 each, 32, 942 in Nasarawa and 16, 366 in the FCT.

Ben Oyediji, Alaye Eremie and Eyiowuawi, APGA, YPP and PPN National Collation Centre Agents in their separate reactions rejected the cancellation of 157, 591 in Nasarawa State on the account of over voting and called on Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman to review the situation which it is already in their individual reports to the umpire body.

Results from Nasarawa State in which Buhari won with 289, 903 and was closely followed by Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the main opposition Peoples Party, PDP with 283,847, 157, 591 votes were cancelled.

Azubuike Nwankwo, Academic Provost of the Nigerian Defence Academy and returning Officer for the Presidential election in Nasarawa while announcing results at the National Collation Centre, Abuja said the votes were cancelled from 86 polling units across the state due to over voting and violent disruption of polls.

Yakubu in his response assured party agents and Nigerians that INEC will consider observations and reports from the various parties as well as poll officials before the determination of the final results.

Meanwhile, Buhari has won six out of the seven states whose results have been submitted at the National Collation Centre while Atiku won only the FCT.

Based on the results Buhari defeated Atiku in Ekiti with 219, 231 against 154, 032, Osun, 347, 634 against 337, 3377, Kwara, 308,984 against 138,184, Nasarawa, 289, 903 against 283, 847, Kogi 285, 894 against 218, 207 and Gombe,  402, 961 against 138484 while Atiku defeated Buhari in FCT, Abuja, 259, 997 against 152, 224.