The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has instituted a legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for deliberate exclusion from the Kebbi State rerun election that holds today.? CPC National Publicity Secretary,Mr. Rotimi Fashakin told LEADERSHIP WEEK END yesterday that the party had instituted a legal action against INEC for deliberate exclusion of its candidate from the Kebbi rerun election.
Fashakin said:”The party has earlier filed a fresh request for nomination of another candidate as our earlier candidate defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
But INEC refused to grant the party's request. Under the law, which states that in issue of a candidate's death or defection, the party in question should be given time tonominate another candidate while the election is pushed forward.?
We see the action of INEC as deliberate. We have filed a case against INEC for deliberate exclusion of the party for the rerun election at the Federal High Court, Birnin Kebbi.”
Today's polls, is to elect a new governor that will run the affairs of the state.?
This followed the nullification of the election of former Governor Sa'idu Dakingari of the people's Democratic Party, PDP by the Supreme Court and the subsequent order for a rerun election to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
There are fifteen candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission for today's governorship election, they include, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, ACN; Attari Sani, AD; Hajia Hauwau Mohammed, ADC; Alh. Lawan Moad, ALP; Alh. SulaimanMuhammad Argungu, ANPP; Malami Umaru Birnin Kebbi, APGA; Mallam Abubakar Abubakar, CPC.
Others include; Alh. Sani Abubakar, CPP; Muhammed Danbare, Labour; Sahabi Atiku, NNPP; Alh. Tukur Musa Yaro, NSDP; Mohammed Nasiru Magaji, NTP; Saidu Usman Nasamu, PDP; Alhaji Abubakar Umaru, PPA; and Alh. Mohammed Nura, PPP.
Reports from Birnin Kebbi, the state capital indicates that INEC has concluded arrangements for the exercise which commences at 8am in the morning.
Our correspondent who went round the state capital reports that at INEC headquarters, members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC who are the election presiding officers were seen on queue waiting to collect election materials for onward movement to their various stations.
Also at government house, though there weren't many activities to suggest preparation for the election as only a few politicians were seen around even as the state executive council was said to have met in the morning after which another meeting of the state security committee was also held. However no statements were made after the meetings.
In order to forestall any security breach in today's election, the state commissioner of Poli ce, Alhaji Olaguje Babatunde disclosed that the command has deployed over seven thousand officers and men to ensure peaceful conduct of the rerun election.
This is in ad to reinforcement from Sokoto and Zamfara states. He also disclosed that military officers will also be deployed to strategic positions during the exercise.???
Preparatory to today's election, INEC Chairman, Professor Atthiru Jega told a stakeholders meeting that the Commission has concluded recruitment and training of personnel that will conduct the election, adding that sensitive and non sensitive materials have also been provided.
Despite assurances for a free and fair elections by INEC, there are indications that the election may record poor turnout going by the insistence of INEC Chairman not to allow those voters whose voter cards were destroyed during the flood that ravage six key local governments of the state to vote in today's election even though their names are on INEC register. The local government affected by the flood are; Augie, Argungu, Birnin Kebbi, Bunza, Suru and Bagudo.