APC rejects Kebbi senatorial election result, insists on legal action

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi on Thursday rejected the Kebbi Central senatorial district result on the Feb. 25 election, insisting that it would institute a legal action to retrieve the mandate.

INEC on Tuesday declared Sen. Adamu Aliero of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election having polled 126,588 votes to defeat his opponent, APC’s Gov. Atiku Bagudu, who polled 92,389 votes.

The electoral umpire delayed the announcement of the result because of the disappearance of the Returning Officer for Marafa Ward in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, Mr Yusuf Isa-Yahaya.

It had earlier declared Isa-Yahaya as a “perona non grata”.

Reacting to the declaration of the result in favour of the PDP, APC’s spokesman in Kebbi, Alhaji Isa Assalafi, said that the party’s mandate was stolen.

He said the party was gathering its evidence and that its lawyers would soon head to the electoral tribunal.

“We have grievances on the election result and we will pursue the course of justice after gathering all the necessary facts and evidence; we are going to seek redress in accordance with the law,” he said.

Assalafi appreciated party loyalists and the people of Kebbi for the peaceful conduct of the polls on Feb. 25.

He enjoined them to prepare for the March 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections and to vote for the APC.