The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Bauchi State, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has rejected the result of the governorship election held in the state, insisting that it is not a true reflection of the wishes of the people.
On Monday, Governor Bala Mohammed, was re-elected as the governor of Bauchi State for another four-year term. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate as the winner of the March 18 governorship poll. According to the electoral body, Mohammed polled 525,280 to trounce his closest rival, Abubakar who polled 432,272 votes.
But Briefing journalists in Bauchi on Tuesday, Abubakar, the immediate Chief of Air Staff, claimed that there was violence in seven local government areas of the state. He also cited instances where APC supporters and agents were intimidated and harassed in polling units and collation centres.
“The election in Bauchi State was characterised by primitive violence, thuggery, intimidation and harassment of opponents and throwing up of APC agents in many polling units where commissioners and local government chairmen of the state took virtually all the electoral activities, particularly in Bauchi town,” he stated.
“For us in the APC, we consider the figures that were released as totally unacceptable. We reject the position. We believe that what was read does not reflect the desires of the people of the state.
“The SSG was seen moving with commissioners and LG chairmen from one collation centre to another throughout the night. When they get to these collation centres, they chased the APC agents there. They took over the papers and wrote what they wanted to write.”
Apart from the alleged intimidation and harassment of the APC agents, Abubakar described the situation as most unfortunate.
Abubakar appealed to his supporters to remain calm as he consults with the party and stakeholders on the next line of action.