APC cancels ward congresses in 30 wards in Bauchi

Re-run elections will be held on April 16.

Citing election irregularities, the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday cancelled the results of 30 wards out of the 212 wards in its Bauchi State ward congresses held on April 9.
The Chairman of the State Congress Committee, Almajiri Geidam, told journalists in Bauchi that April 16 has been fixed for the re-run in the affected wards.
He also said that the committee upheld results from 182 wards in 14 out of 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
“The State Congress Committee sat on the result of the congresses and upheld the congresses in 182 wards and cancelled congresses in 30 wards out of the 212 wards.

“The committee took into consideration, before arriving at this decision, glaring irregularities in those 30 wards.
“The committee also looked at supportive documents and monitoring reports from security as well as other agencies involved in the monitoring of the exercise.
“In all, 14 out of 20 local government areas, their congresses were upheld. These are Jama’are, Itas-Gadau, Katagum, Shira, Zaki, Misau, Darazo and Dambam.
“Also upheld were elections in Warji, Kirfi, Tafawa Balewa, Toro, Dass and Bogoro Local Government Areas,” he said.
Mr. Geidam said that the local governments where some ward congresses were cancelled include Bauchi, Alkleri, Ganjuwa, Ningi, Gamawa and Giade.
“In the six other local governments, in particular Bauchi Local Government, the committee upheld the congresses of seven wards, cancelled elections in five wards and ordered a re-run in those wards.
“The committee has also fixed April 16 for the re-run in affected wards,” Mr. Geidam said.
Meanwhile, a member of the Interim Management Committee of the party in the state, Ibrahim Lame, disassociated himself from the resolutions of the Congress Committee.
He told journalists that the committee did not follow due process in organising the congresses.
“We have evidence to believe that some members of the committee are agents of some people in Bauchi who perpetuated the same kind of behaviour under the CPC which led to the party’s collapse.
“APC is a party that believes in due process, fairness and openness. We also have evidence to believe that some of them, especially the leadership of the committee, are being used.
“They said they used security report, but we have evidence to believe that the report was forged,” he said.
He called on the national leadership of the party to disband the committee and reconstitute it.
(NAN)