By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Senatorial Candidate in Borno Central, Hon. Mohammed Yara Kumalia has alleged that elections in the 8 LGAs comprising of Borno Central Senatorial District were conducted without following the election guidelines and procedure as outlined in the election manual and the 2022 electoral Act.
The eight local governments in Borno central are Maiduguri Metropolitan, Jere, Konduga, Bama, Mafa, Dikwa, Gamboru Ngala and Kala Balge.
Hon. Kumalia, who stated this at a press conference in Maidugiri, said infractions and manipulations are in respect of the Presidential, Senate and House of representatives elections.
He added that In all the eight local government areas, the use of the BVAS machine was generally disregarded as people were accredited manually without the use of the BVAS machine.
The PDP candidate explained further that, there were widespread incidences of over voting, manipulations, intimidation, vote buying across the eight local governments, alteration of result sheets after the elections among other irregularities.
He therefore, called on the Borno State Resident Electoral Commissioner and the collation and Returning officers to cancel the elections in all the 8 LGAs as the elections has failed to meet the minimum requirements of the election guidelines as well as the Electoral Act.
Below are some of the alleged cases of irregularities:
- MAIDUGURI METROPOLITAN
a. There are incidences of over voting in several units across the local government. In particular, Lamisula Jabbamari, Bolori I, Bolori II, Gwange I, II, and III, Shehuri South, Shehuri North among others.
b. Result sheets from the Units were not uploaded to the INEC server/portal after the elections at the units in accordance with the election guidelines.
c. Alteration of results of units after completion of elections across the 15 wards of the local government.
d. Destruction of ballot papers by APC stalwarts
e. BVAS machine was not used in some polling units.
f. Elections did not hold in some polling units.
g. Results of elections in some polling units won by PDP were not entered into the collation sheet at the ward level.
h. In Maisandri ward, at about 2am this morning (Tuesday), all the agents were chased out of the collation center 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 LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Results of several units in several wards have been altered and changed after completion of voting in about six (6) out of 12 wards. The results that were altered are in respect of the Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections.
The affected Local Governments are:
- Old Maiduguri Ward
- Mashamari Ward
- Mairi Ward
- Maimusari Ward
- Ngomari Ward
- Bale Galtimari ward
According to him, rhe 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:
a. 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 super imposed over the 18, 000 as the total number of accredited voters. Unfortunately for the manipulators, the figure of 18,000 is still visible despite the super imposition of an increased figure of 22,076.
b. There was voting without accreditation using the BVAS machine for the purpose of accreditation contrary to the election guidelines.
c. 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 super imposed 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.
- DIKWA LOCAL GOVERNMENT
a. Elections were conducted without the use of the BVAS machine in most places and ballot papers were thumb printed indiscriminately.
b. All Party agents were chased away by security forces except those of the APC for the APC to do whatever they wanted.
c. Some units did not have BVAS machines and even where present, the machines did not work and results were turned in for these places.
- MAFA LOCAL GOVERNMENT
a. Elections did take place in Maf’a, Mafa Central, Zangebe and Laje wards but results were turned up for these wards.
b. BVAS machines were not used in the conduct of the elections in several units across the wards..
c. 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.
- KONDUGA
a. There was no use of BVAs machine in a number of units across all the wards in Konduga Local government. Incidences of manual voting was widespread.
b. Party agents were chased away from the polling units and results were recorded arbitrarily in favour of the APC.
C. Invalid votes were recorded in favour of APC in several units across the wards. - NGALA LOCAL GOVERNMENT
a. No use of BVAS machine for accreditation
b. About 6000 fake votes were added to the APC votes for presidential, Senate and House of Representatives seats
c. There was over voting in a number of polling units across the local government.
d. There was voter intimidation and harassment
- KALA BALGE LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
a. there was no use of the BVAS machine throughout the 10 wards of local government.
b. People without voter’s cards were allowed to vote.
c. Those with temporary voter’s cards were allowed to vote contrary to the electoral guidelines
d. There was open use of US Dollar bills by the APC officials to bribe INEC officials to manipulate the results
e. Even the manipulated results at the units were not uploaded on the INEC portal
f. There was over voting in several units across the 10 wards of the local government.
d. At the collation centers, 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.