The All Progressives Congress, APC, has objected to the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to go ahead with the supplementary polls in Bauchi state.
Bauchi had been named among the six states where supplementary elections would hold on March 23, however, INEC on Saturday, reversed its decision saying its fact-finding committee found out that election had been concluded in the state and there were copies of results.
It therefore said collation of results will resume on Tuesday, March 19.
The fact-finding committee on the Bauchh governorship election had been chaired by INEC’s national commissioner for information and voter education, Festus Okoye.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Spokesman for the APC, Lanre Issa-Onilu, however, faulted Okoye’s chairing of the committee claiming “he enjoys a close relationship” with speaker of the house of representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who hails from the state.
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The statement read in part: “We reject INEC’s decision on the governorship election results from Tafawa Balewa local government area in Bauchi state, as signed and announced by the electoral body’s national commissioner and chairman of its information and voter education committee, Festus Okoye.
“While the close relationship between Festus Okoye who chaired the fact-finding committee and Yakubu Dogara of the PDP is well known, hence inappropriate for the fact-finding exercise for Bauchi state, INEC has failed to adhere to the fundamental principle of fair-hearing by not inviting our agents during the hearing to ascertain the circumstances leading to the cancellation of the Tafawa Balewa local government election result.
“INEC’s decision is illegal as the electoral body and contravenes the provisions of the electoral act 2010 as amended.”
Meanwhile, it is on record that Dogara has often accused INEC of working against the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
