Stop misleading public on Kano re-run, group cautions EU observer mission
By Our reporter
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) have been cautioned to stop spreading false information of violence and widespread vote buying during the supplementary gubernatorial election that took place in Kano State last Saturday.
A pressure group, Peace and Media Advocacy (PMA) handed out the caution while reacting to report of the Mission on the election.
In a press statement made available to Daily Times on Wednesday and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade James Okoronkwo, the group described as deliberate mischief, the submission by the Election Observation Mission that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the security agencies did little to address the violence and malpractices during the supplementary election, adding that such allegations were hollow, as the Mission cannot unsubstantiated the claims.
“The EU Mission’s report was biased, inaccurate and politically- motivated to satisfy the whims and caprices of their pay masters who want to win at all costs,” the group said.
According to PMA, the Acting Inspector- General of Police Mr. Abubakar Mohammed Adamu did everything possible to ensure that the supplementary election in Kano was peaceful, transparent, free and fair by deploying Mr. Anthony Agbizili Micheal, a Deputy Commissioner of Police to take charge of security during the re-run election,
adding that from reports of majority of the election observers, the police performed meritoriously in ensuring the smooth conduct of Kano State supplementary election.
Okoronkwo stated that given the fact that this is the first time a supplementary election is being conducted in the state and also the large size of Kano State with its 44 local government areas, the supplementary election in 207 polling units of 28 local government areas after the declaration of the first ballot in the governorship election as inconclusive,
the Independent National Electoral Commission performed creditably in conducting the Kano State supplementary election that was won by incumbent Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who scored 1,033,695 votes to defeat the PDP candidate who polled 1,024,713 votes.
The group also urged the EU Mission to join hands with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deepen our democracy by lending expert support rather than deploying arm-chair observers who stay in the comfort of their luxury hotel rooms to concoct lies in the name of reports to cause confusion and anarchy.
Finally, the group appealed to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to be magnanimous in victory by carrying everybody along while urging APC members and supporters to continue to maintain the peace in the state.
