By Ahmed Ahmed
Youth group under the aegis of Bauchi Metropolitan Youth Forum in Bauchi State has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the winner of the gubernatorial election in the interest of peace in the state.
It would be recalled that the governorship election in the state was declared inconclusive by the Returning Officer, Dr Mohammed Kyari, who said election in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area and some polling units in other areas were marred by irregularities.
Mr Umar Aliyu, the group leader, made the appeal in Bauchi.
He said that delay in the announcement was already causing tension in the state.
“What has happened in Bauchi State last week Saturday is already in the notice of everyone that the election was carried out free, fair and credible.
“Having said that, based on the result at hand, the winner is on ground in which everyone knows. However, we don’t know what is keeping the INEC to announce the winner.
“This issue is trying to change a phase, it’s taking another dimension in which we are calling the attention of national INEC and the federal government to intervene on the issue.
“We urge the president and the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to please intervene in this issue because we need peace in our state,” Aliyu said.
The group leader pointed out that the returning officer from Tafawa-Balewa local government told the Resident Electoral Commissioner that the election in the area was credible, free and violence-free.
“The Returning Officer of INEC explained to the commissioner that the election conducted in the area was free, fair and credible. And that the result she was carrying was a genuine result, even though, she was forced to announce the result there.
“We observed that there are some criteria the commissioner should follow before announcing the cancellations of the result which were not followed.
“First, there was no violence during the polling, there was no form of formulation as the returning officer testified that the result was the real, genuine and duly signed by agents of all the political parties. So, why cancellation?” Aliyu queried.
He, therefore, urged the INEC to take a swift action in announcing the winner to douse the brewing tension in the state.