The recent declaration of gubernatorial elections as inconclusive in some states by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has continued to produce ripple effects as Plateau and Bauchi State governors expressed fears over security implications of the pronouncement in their states.
The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, while speaking with State House Correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, attributed the killing of over 82 cows and rustling of another 30, as “politically motivated” to destroy his administration.
“I always say it has political undertone. Why is it happening immediately after elections? It usually happens immediately before or after elections, why is it like that? It has some political connotation.
“That is why I said I am concerned about security. Usually, it starts like that, they start rustling and killing cattle and the next thing you will hear is that, it is farmers-herdsmen’ crisis,” Lalong said.
The governor, who revealed that the state government was handling the issue, disclosed that he was at the Presidential Villa to brief President Buhari on the security situation unfolding in his state.
“I informed Mr. President that we are on top of the situation because we wouldn’t want that to escalate into farmers-herdsmen crisis. It is not farmers- herdsmen crisis; it is criminals trying to foment trouble after losing elections,” he said.
Lalong, who is seeking a re-election, said he was working hard to ensure a peaceful election, following the cancellation of election results in some polling units during the just concluded gubernatorial and State Assembly elections
“So far so good, we have had very good peaceful elections. We are coming back for a supplementary election; I will like INEC to conduct a peaceful election and so we will like the security apparatus to be on ground in the state. That was my briefing to Mr. President,” he said.
He expressed confidence that he would win the supplementary election, adding that he has no fears.
“How can I be when all the votes that were cancelled were my votes? These were areas that I won. There was no need for cancellation but then as a lawyer, I still want to comply with the rules, I don’t want to be talking about infringing on the rules when the election result is very clear.
“They said registered voters were 49,000 but the votes were not up to 20,000 but people were still saying we need 49,000 and I was already on top with 45,000 votes. So, we are going to get the 49,000. How can you imagine that a sitting governor cannot get 3,000 votes out of 39,000 in an area that I have well-dominated for a very long time?
“So for me, election is as good as concluded in Plateau State. I see it as an opportunity for people whose votes were cancelled for them to vote. People came and said their votes were cancelled; it is for them to go back and vote and ensure their vote counts this time around.
“That is why I support that we go back and conduct the elections. If they (INEC) like, let them conduct the elections more than once; we will still win,” he said.
Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar who was also at the Presidential Villa, said he came to “brief” the President on issues surrounding the inconclusive elections.
Recalling that the Returning Officer for Bauchi State at the end of collation, had rejected the result of Tafawa Balewa Local Government and then 36 other units spread around 15 local governments of Bauchi State and ordered a rerun, Abubakar described as “surprising” that INEC later reversed itself on the issues.
“INEC came up with a procedure that is not known to law. Because, where a Returning Officer has declared the result, only an election petition tribunal can reverse the result.
“But INEC is attempting to reverse itself in the case of Bauchi. And when one juxtaposes that of Bauchi and other states with inconclusive elections, one wonders why that is happening only in Bauchi State.
“So, for that reason there is a need for me to come and brief Mr. President because that has the potential of touching on the security of the state,” he said.
He also described the INEC action as “extra illegal”, adding that “It is a straight-forward matter. The returning officer is the final arbiter even with respect to scores and declaration of result. And once he makes a declaration, no power can reverse that declaration except duly constituted court of the land.”
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
