By Sam Kayode
Senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the Presidential election conducted in the central senatorial zone of Borno State.
He made the call as part of electoral grievances of his party during a news conference at the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Street in Maiduguri.
The politician called on the Borno State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mohammed Magaji, and the collation and Returning officers for the Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives seats within Borno Central Senatorial District to cancel the elections in all the eight local governments in respect of the Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives election for Maiduguri, Jere, Dikwa, Mafa and Konduga as well as Bama, Ngala and Kala Balge Federal constituencies, as the elections according to him failed to meet the minimum requirements of the electoral guidelines, the Election Manual as well as the Electoral Act, 2023.
Kumalia in the company with his colleagues – Babakura Yusuf, Ahmad Zannah, Abdulrazaq Zanna, and Muhammad Zannah – said that they would take actions in the court if the lapses were not corrected by INEC as expected.
In his litany of woes raised, the lawyer regretted that elections were disrupted in most of the council areas in the central region making it difficult for INEC ad hoc staff to work while in other areas “where they PDP were perceived as winning thugs supported by the party chairman Ali Dalori in a convoy of about eight vehicles which were properly documented came around to destabilise the entire electoral process in some polling units in the senatorial zone.”
This, to him, will make the entire Presidential election results from Borno state questionable if justice is not served to his party accordingly.
Barrister Kumalia said that thugs assaulted some of their agents and dealt with any resistant person while they went on their intimidation trail allegedly with some uniformed personalities adding that “Elections in the eight Local Government Areas in Borno Central senatorial district were conducted without following the election guidelines and procedure as outlined in the election manual and the 2023 electoral Act. The eight local governments in Borno central are Maiduguri Metropolitan, Jere, Konduga, Bama, Mafa, Dikwa, Gamboru Ngala and Kala Balge.
“The infractions and manipulations are in respect of the Presidential, Senate and House of representatives elections. In all the eight local governments, the use of the BVAS machine was generally disregarded as people were accredited manually without the use of the machine. There were widespread incidents of over voting across the eight local governments, alteration of result sheets after the elections among others.
Maiduguri Council Area
“There were incidents of over voting in several units across the local governments. In particular, Lamisula Jabbamari, Bolori 1, Bolori II, Gwange I, II, and III, Shehuri South, Shehuri North among others. Result sheets from the Units were not uploaded to the INEC server/portal after the elections at the units in accordance with the election guideline.
“Alteration of results of units after completion of elections across the 15 wards of the local government. Destruction of ballot papers by APC stalwarts, BVAS machine was not used in some polling units. Elections were not held in some polling units. Results of elections in some polling units won by PDP were not entered into the collation sheets at the ward level.”
On violence meted out to his party members, he went on, “In Maisandari ward, at about 2:00 AM this morning (Tuesday), all the agents were chased out of the collation centre after collating about 120 out of 200 units where PDP was leading comfortably and the results were manipulated and doctored to favour the APC candidates.
Jere Council Area
At Jere council area which is part of greater Maiduguri based on the new polling units created by INEC, “Results of several units in several wards have been altered and changed after completion of voting in about six out of 12 wards.
“The results that were altered are in respect of the Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections. The affected wards are: Old Maiduguri Ward, Mashamari Ward, Mairi Ward, Maimusari Ward, Ngomari Ward, Bale Galtimari ward.
“The tampering of the results is obvious as there are a lot of cancellations and alterations in the Form EC 8B of the affected wards. For clarity, the results of the polling units are different from the results recorded on Form EC 8B in a number of the units in the aforementioned wards.
Bama Local Government
On Bama council area, he described the rigging process by the ad hoc staff in conjunction with some INEC officials as grossly abysmal.
He went on with his annoyance by stressing that: “There was over voting in the final result of the local government in respect of the Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections. A case in point is the senatorial election where the total number of accredited voters is less than the total number of votes cast (Both Valid and Invalid votes).
“The total number of accredited voters for Bama Local Government is about 18,000 while the total number of votes cast is 21,850. However, a figure of 22,076 was superimposed over the 18,000 as the total number of accredited voters.
“Unfortunately for the manipulators, the figure of 18,000 was still visible despite the super imposition of an increased figure of 22,076.
“There was voting without accreditation using the BVAS machine for the purpose of accreditation contrary to the election guidelines. Scores on result sheets were altered and the amendments are obvious as the old figures and the newly super imposed figure are both visible in many instances.
“New figures are superimposed on the old figures either to increase the votes received by APC or to increase the total number of accredited voters to justify the inflated votes that has been allocated to the APC.” he stressed.
Dikwa Council Area
Speaking on Dikwa council area, he went on “Elections were conducted without the use of the BVAS machine in most places and ballot papers were thumb printed indiscriminately.
“All Party agents were chased away by security forces except those of the APC for the APC to do whatever they wanted. Some units did not have BVAS machines and even where present, the machines did not work and results were turned in for these places.”
Elections did not take place in Mafa
Speaking on Mafa, the lawyer went on ” Elections did take place in Maf’a, Mafa Central, Zangebe and Laje wards but results were turned up for these wards. BVAS machines were not used in the conduct of the elections in several units across the wards.. In Tansuwu Ngamduwa ward, there are three units ( 22 maternity unit, Kaleri transformer and Zannari II) elections took place but the results were not recorded because PDP won those units.
Party Agents were chased out from their polling unit in Konduga
There was no use of the BVAs machine in a number of units across all the wards in Konduga Local government. Incidences of manual voting were widespread. Party agents were chased away from the polling units and results were recorded arbitrarily in favour of the APC. Invalid votes were recorded in favour of APC in several units across the wards.
Decried over voting in Ngala Council Area
On Ngala, he noted that BVAS machines were not used for accreditation. About 6000 fake votes were added to the APC votes for presidential, Senate and House of Representatives seats. There was over voting in a number of polling units across the local government.There was voter intimidation and harassment
Kala Balge were temporary voters card held sway and dollars were used to buy votes
“There was no use of the BVAS machine throughout the 10 wards of the local government.People without voter’s cards were allowed to vote. Those with temporary voter’s cards were allowed to vote contrary to the electoral guidelines.
“There was open use of US Dollar bills by the APC officials to bribe INEC officials to manipulate the results. Even the manipulated results at the units were not uploaded on the INEC portal. There was over voting in several units across the 10 wards of the local government. At the collation centres, all agents of the PDP were chased away by the Army personnel for the INEC and APC officials to write whatever result that they wanted.”
Responding to the allegations, APC candidate for Borno central described Kumalia as a habitual petitioner who does not have the basis for all his tantrums.
