People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Kaduna Chapter has alleged the use of untrained Ad-hoc staff by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which according to the party, the commission admitted by replacing the staff at the eve of elections.
The party disclosed this while briefing Journalists in Kaduna on Friday, alleging that the Ad-hoc staff were replaced with strange names of untrained people.
While speaking, the Chairman of the Party, Hon. Felix Hassan Hyat said despite the assurance giving by the commission to adhere to the use of trained Ad-hoc staff that INEC never did, rathern collected list of untrained staff from the government.
Hyat who lauded the conduct of party supporters during and after the elections insisted that the use of Card Readers in APC strongholds was ignored, while in the strongholds of PDP were made compulsory to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
According to him, “results of elections in many Poling Units were cancelled on the basis of this. E.g. Bishini Ward in Kachia Local Government, Wasa Ward in Sanga Local Government.
“However, Card Readers were not used in parts of Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Zaria, Igabi, Giwa, Sabon Gari, Soba etc. But such results were not cancelled.
” Insufficiently charged Card Readers were further deliberately programmed to frustrate us. This led to complaints from many Polling Units. Some Card Readers were deliberately interchanged leading to lack of functioning and waste of valuable time before correct ones were brought.
“This was also another area of great concern and outright manipulation by INEC to disenfranchised PDP supporters. Recorded shortage of materials was reported by us to INEC but distribution of such shortfalls was very late.
” In some instances, elections were concluded before the arrival of shortfall. There were reported cases of fake result sheets issued out by Electoral Officers at the Local Government levels. Only when protests were mounted before original ones were issued, e.g. in Jema’a Local Government Area. Most of the shortages were in the area of ballot papers where in some cases less than half were issued.
“Apart from shortfall of materials delivery to Polling Units was also another problem. Even within Kaduna Metropolis, materials didn’t reach many Polling Units till after 12noon. E.g. Narayi, Maraban Rido, Barnawa, Gonin-Gora, etc. These are also strongholds of the PDP.
“This exercise was done in complete secrecy to opposition Parties but with input from APC/Government. Even when it was done in secret, the engaged Lecturers from the University remained a secret to other parties until at the point of assignment.
“If there was no hidden agenda in such an exercise, they should not have been engaged secretly, posted secretly. Even during the collation, many of them made compromising comments and adopted attitudes indicating their sympathy to the Government/APC.
“We seriously question the neutrality of INEC and the integrity of those engaged under such a secretive method.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission allowed two (2) agents per Party at every centre. However, only one was allowed for us at these centres. But all Government officials became Agents of the APC and the security personnel harassed and chased all others out. This gave the APC freedom to call for cancellation of votes from places they lost. The Collation Centres became gang-up Centres to enforce APC will. Votes of the people came under the mercy of APC to cancel at will.
“The elections were relatively peaceful. But this is not as a result of security agencies efforts. Far from it. It was the determination of the PDP and the good people of Kaduna State to prevent anything that could lead to a breakdown of law and order, thus denying the Government of Kaduna State the wanted opportunity to call for rescheduling of elections in the State. There were instances of intimidation and harassment by the security personnel in different parts of the State. Honourable Commissioners, Local Government Council Chairmen and other officials went about with armed Policemen and Soldiers intimidating and harassing voters e.g. at Kagarko, Ikara, Giwa, Zaria etc. The same behaviour was exhibited at Ward and Local Government Collation Centres.
“That there was relative peace during the elections does not mean that the elections were free and fair. There was unprecedented cancellation of votes at Collation Centres which was unidirectional. The final figures pronounced certainly do not represent the voting pattern of the electorates”.
The party therefore call on INEC to study and address the issues raised, adding that INEC should be transparent, just and fair to all Parties as an unbiased umpire that it is supposed to be to ensure credible elections come 9th March, 2019.
Hyat also urged that the security agencies should abide by their rules of engagement at all times and avoid complicity in a sensitive national exercise that has very far reaching impact in the survival, progress and unity of the Country.
