By Emmanuel Awari, Jalingo
JALINGO, Taraba State – The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State has called for the complete cancellation of the ongoing local government elections in the state, alleging widespread irregularities and vote-rigging by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
APC State Chairman, Barrister Tukur El-Sudi, made the call while addressing journalists in Jalingo, the state capital, on Saturday.
El-Sudi accused the PDP of using the electoral process to appoint their cronies into the local government councils, rather than conducting a fair and credible election.
He cited several instances of electoral malpractices, including the disappearance of result sheets, ballot papers being thumb-printed in the homes of PDP stalwarts, and the absence of electoral materials in many polling units.
“We are not happy with what is happening in Taraba state,” El-Sudi declared. “This is not an election; it is a political appointment.”
He lamented that despite the APC’s readiness to participate in the polls, the PDP had subverted the process, depriving the people of their right to choose their representatives at the local government level.
El-Sudi further accused Governor Agbu Kefas of complicity in the electoral malpractices, alleging that the governor was “caged by some politicians in the state.”
“Governor Ishaku, as a retired military man, is supposed to do the right thing,” El-Sudi said. “But he has allowed himself to be used by the PDP to undermine democracy in Taraba State.”
The APC Chairman called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take over the conduct of local government elections, stating that the current system has been compromised by the state governments.
“We need a referendum to amend the constitution and allow INEC to handle local government elections,” El-Sudi asserted. “The states Houses of Assembly are already compromised and will never support any amendment to this effect.”
He urged the people of Taraba State to reject the outcome of the ongoing local government elections, describing it as a “sham and disgrace.”
“We cannot be associated with this sham,” El-Sudi declared. “We call for its complete cancellation.”
The APC’s call for the cancellation of the Taraba LG polls highlights the deep-seated political divisions in the state and the challenges of conducting credible elections in Nigeria. The allegations of electoral malpractices, if proven true, would represent a serious setback for democracy in the state.