Taraba guber poll rerun: Replace indicted INEC, security officials – Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, former vice president of Nigeria and APC chieftain, has called for the removal of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security officials implicated in the conduct of last weekend’s gubernatorial election in Taraba State, urging the Commission and the security operatives to replace those indicted before the rerun election in the state.

The former Vice President made the suggestion while welcoming INEC’s decision to cancel the gubernatorial election results in some local government areas of Taraba State and declare the outcome of last Saturday’s polls in the state inconclusive.

In a statement released Wednesday, Atiku said he believed the reports of the widespread irregularities in some local governments of the state.

“These irregularities included using armed personnel to intimidate voters,” Atiku said.

He alleged that armed soldiers were attached to Senator Emmanuel Bwacha; Joel Ikenya, a current minister; as well as Senator Anthony Manzo, chief of staff to Senator David Mark. He also said that these soldiers engaged in brazen acts that violated the electoral act, including ballot-box snatching.

“Elections should not be militarised,” Atiku said. “Nigeria is a democracy, not in a dictatorship. Citizens should be able to go out and vote without fear of being threatened with nuzzle of a gun.”

He said: “These election violations were noticeably perpetrated in Southern Taraba, specifically in Wukari, Takum, Kurmi and Donga Local Government Areas; also in the North, particularly in Lau and Yoro where Manzo comes from.”

Atiku noted that thousands of troops were deployed to these areas and electoral officers were heavily compromised.

“These people should not be allowed to go back during the rerun election,” Atiku said. “No troops should be allowed nearby.”

Atiku also called on the Inspector General of Police to replace security personnel in Taraba with new teams from neighbouring Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa, during the period of the rerun elections