Call for declaration of Kebbi governorship result undermines INEC’s powers- PDP

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi says calls for declaration of the governorship election result is an affront to the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Alhaji Abubakar Gari-Malam, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart in the state, has called on the INEC to declare the governorship election results.

This is contained in a statement in Birnin Kebbi on Monday signed by Alhaji Sani Dododo, Chairman of the state PDP Publicity Committee.

Our correspondent reports that the release was in reaction to an interview granted by Gari-Malam on Sunday, calling for declaration of APC guber candidate, Dr Nasiru Idris, as the winner of the election.

Our correspondent also recalls that the INEC Collation/Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Yusuf Sa’idu, had on March 20 declared the March 18 guber election as inconclusive.

Dododo said: “The PDP has dismissed the call by Alhaji Abubakar Gari Malam, Shettiman Gwandu to declare the results of the inconclusive Kebbi State Gubernatorial elections, describing it as premature, baseless and contemptuous to the electoral process.

“The recent newspaper interview credited to Alhaji Abubakar Malam calling on the INEC to declare APC gubernatorial candidate as duly returned is not only undemocratic but an attempt to undermine constitutional powers of INEC and call for anarchy in the state”.

While describing the act as unfortunate, desperate and overzealous attempt to grab power, Dododo assured that INEC had been very open before arriving at the decision to pronounce Kebbi governorship election as inconclusive.

“There is no iota of doubt that Abubakar Malam is having a sinister intent out of the uninformed declaration call,” he said.

He, however, appealed to all PDP loyalists as well as the general public to be calm and remain law abiding while awaiting formal announcement from INEC.