Adamawa Rerun Election: Don’t undermine people’s mandate - PDP tells INEC

From Umar Dankano,Yola.

Ahead of Saturday’s governorship inconclusive election in Adamawa state, the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential and Governorship Campaign Council has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure absolute neutrality in the electoral process, so as to not undermine the people’s mandate.

Director General of the Campaign Council, Hon. Auwal Tukur made public the position of the council yesterday, at a round up press Conference in Yola.

Tukur warned that the PDP as a law abiding political party will not accommodate manipulations from any quarter regarding the inconclusive election.

“That is also to sound a word of caution that the PDP will not in anyway also fold its arms and allow rigging and any violent procedure to undermine the people’s votes and mandate.

“Clearly we are ready to use all the necessary and available legal and constitutional means to secure our mandate.

“It should be on record also that the PDP knows its legitimate ways and will definitely deploy the right and available ways to vote and protect the party’s supporters”, Tukur asserted.

Tukur said the council,party as well as the good people of Adamawa state can confidently attest to the fact that the

18th March Governorship election in the state was a good outing where Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri was successfully elected as Governor with clear margin of over 31 000 votes ahead of the APC Candidate.

“The votes were credible enough to have declared right Hon.Ahmadu Fintiri,governor elect.

“Unfortunately,the INEC failed to do that thereby declaring the elections inclusive with re-runs to be held in some wards and 69 units of the state.

“As a political party in the past weeks,we have had to cope with wrong allegations made by the APC, deliberately perpetuated to gerrymander votes and cause mayhem.

“This is also to let INEC,our umpire know that our party will be timely and ready to inspect and scrutinise all available sensitive electoral material(s) for transparency and effective monitoring”, Tukur maintained.

While commending the efforts of the INEC, security, electorate and the press,the council categorically denied the claim that the APC candidate won the governorship election and can not win this re-run by popular voting.

“With this in mind,as we prepare for the re-run,our resolve is to win through due democratic means.

“It is noteworthy to appeal and encourage voters to come out and vote our governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for continuity and consolidation of development”, Tukur appealed.