Supplementary elections: NNPP protests inclusion of polling units marred by violence

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Less than 24 hours to the conduct of supplementary elections in two Federal House of Representatives constituencies and 14 state Assembly constituencies, the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), on Friday, submitted a letter of complaint to the Hajj Camp headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kano, protesting the inclusion of polling units allegedly marred by violence, as part of places the supplementary election will be taking place.

Leaders of the party led by the state chairman, Alhaji Haruna Umar Doguwa stormed the state INEC headquarters, armed with a letter of complaint which they submitted to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Abdu Zango.

Speaking to journalists after a closed door meeting with the REC, the NNPP chairman noted that it was against the spirit of the electoral act to hold re-run elections in polling units where violence were recorded.

He said the party figured out a number of such polling units which INEC included as part of where the supplementary election will be taking place on Saturday and urged the electoral umpire to correct the anomalies.

He told journalists at the INEC headquarters that: “We feel that INEC has included so many polling units where elections were cancelled due to violence for rerun to take place.

“ So, we submitted a formal letter of complaint to INEC on the 11 of this month, but today’s visit is like a reminder. We want to remind them that it is an error and they should remove them as part of places where elections will hold tomorrow (Saturday).

“ Our expectation is for INEC to comply with the Rule of Law and follow the guidelines of the electoral act.”

The Kano State NNPP Chairman also faulted INEC’s decision to hold supplementary election in Dovuwa/Tudun Wada Federal constituency where there was alleged killings and binning of houses during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, insisting that the people of the area are still in mourning mood.

“We are saying that right now, the people of Tudun Wada are in mourning period. For you to come and hold election there shows that you don’t have remorse for the feelings of the people.

“ We feel that the election in Tudun Wada should be shifted”, he stressed.

He, however, expressed optimism that NNPP will emerge victorious in the supplementary elections, saying that the party is fully prepared for the exercise.

The supplementary elections for Federal House of Representatives are scheduled to hold in Fagge Federal Constituency and Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency.

More so, the state House of Assembly supplementary elections will hold in 14 state House of Assembly seats which include Ajingi, Danbatta, Dawakin Tofa,

Gwarzo, Gezawa, Makoda, Takai, Ungogo, Warawa, Gabasawa, Tudun Wada, Gaya, Wudil and Garko.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Abdu Zango, said INEC in the state has made adequate preparations to conduct supplementary elections in 14 state constituencies and two federal constituencies in Kano.

Speaking to journalists, he confirmed that both sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been distributed to the designated areas where elections are scheduled to hold on Saturday.

He said the elections have been slated to commence at 8:30 a.m and round up by mid-afternoon.

“As you can see, the INEC headquarters is bubbling with activities. We have been very busy. The ad-hoc staff have received training and they are prepared to carry out their duties.

“We have concluded our briefings and other activities, and we are good to go,” he added.

The Kano REC further stated that all the needed arrangements have been made to ensure adequate security during and after the supplementary election.

“Security agencies have carried out operational plan, and we are very confident that the operational plans will work out effectively,” he said.

Zango said he and his management team “have met with all stakeholders concerned in the conduct of the election, adding that they have agreed to ensure a hitchfree and violent-free exercise.

“ We have spoken to the politicians from all the political parties and urge them conduct themselves peacefully, because election is not war.”

The Kano REC also gave reasons the Doguwa/Tudun Wada federal constituency supplementary election could not be postponed as requested by the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), pointing out that doing so will go against the dictates of the electoral law.

He added that, “holding the election in Doguwa/Tudun Wada federal constituency on Saturday is directly in line with the electoral law. Any postponement will go counter to the electoral act.”