APC rejects House of Assembly results in Niger

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger state  has rejected the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to halt the rerun for the State House Assembly election for Agaie constituency in Niger state.

The party said INEC erred in declaring the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the election it earlier said was inconclusive.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Niger state, Prof Sam Egwu, on Thursday issued a press statement declaring  the PDP candidate, Yahaya Abdullahi, the winner of the said election.

INEC said its decision was sequel to the earlier declaration of the PDP candidate winner of the said election by the returning officer, Prof Musa Kolo.

The REC in a statement he personally signed said the rerun in the two units has been dropped after due consultations with stakeholders.

However, in a swift reaction, the state APC chairman, Engr. Mohammed Jibril Imam said the Commission’s decision declaring PDP’s candidate winner, was unacceptable.

Imam wondered why the Commission should take such critical decision when the votes difference in the results under contention were just 106 , while the two units the rerun was billed to take place boast of 1,437  votes.

He said INEC’s decision on the matter, coming about three days to the rerun was suspicious especially that contending parties have already prepared and mobilised for the exercise.

“We were invited earlier for a stakeholders’ meeting this morning ahead of the rescheduled election in the two units only for us to be told that the PDP candidate has been declared winner,” he said.