New Nigeria People’s Party NNPP in Kano State has rejected the results of the Tsanyawa/Gari Federal Constituency election and has taken legal action.
Reacting to the outcome of the recent elections in Kano, the lawmaker representing Kano Central, Senator Rufai Hanga, described the conduct of the polls as neither free nor fair, particularly in Tsanyawa and Gari.
Senator Hanga explained that the party rejected the results because the declared winner allegedly used thugs to rig the election, while INEC officials unjustly canceled NNPP votes on the grounds of over-voting, which he insisted was not true.
He accused the All Progressive Congress Party APC of using massive political thugs during the election with dangerous weapons to disenfranchise the voters and rig the election.
The Senator said that regarding Shanono and Bagwai, being fresh elections, the NNPP clearly won with a wide margin, leaving no doubts about the outcome.
According to him, even the APC knew that the NNPP won, though it still went ahead to protest the results.
He added that INEC declared the NNPP as winner in the Shanono/Bagwai election, while the APC was declared winner in Gari and Tsanyawa an outcome the NNPP protested, just as the APC rejected the Shanono and Bagwai results.
The lawmaker further explained that the key lesson from the election is one Nigeria has failed to learn over the years: the elimination of electoral malpractice.
He alleged that initially, the opposing party brought in heavy thugs to drive people away and rig the Shanono and Bagwai polls, but the NNPP resisted and eventually secured victory.
Senator Hanga believes that such attitude would not allow our nascent democracy to strive well in Nigeria, advising the Government to take a decisive action against the use of thuggery and violence to disrupt people from exercising their franchise.
He added that Government should endeavour to make sure all elections in Nigeria are free fair and according to the Democratic tenants otherwise we would never progress in election matters and that affects the representations of Nigerians at all level of governance.
The lawmaker appealed to election petition tribunals and courts to deal with election issues with all fairness to give the common man a sense of ownership of what he chooses and people should always stood firm to ensure what they choose is given as their true mandate
Hanga also called on the security agencies involved in election matters to remain neutral and help Nigerians to abide by the rules of democratic principles so that democratic rule continues to flourish.
Bashir M
