Controversy rocks FCT council poll

THE last may not have been heard of recent area councils election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), on Sunday, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in  the FCT to officially declare its candidate for Gwagwalada Area Council, Honourable Adamu Mustapha Danze, winner of the poll.

The party said its candidate, having scored the highest number of lawful votes cast after the collation of results from various polling booths, with  a total  figure  of 15,312, as against the All Proggressives Congress 14,546 and  the Peoples Democratic Party’s 6,082, he should be declared winner.
It said according to a reliable source and information   available to the party, there was pressure on INEC not to declare APGA the  winner, as it would be a  shame  for APC candidate to be defeated in an election by APGA candidate.
In a statement by its director of publicity, Ifeanacho Oguejiofor, APGA said the party was informed that pressures were allegedly mounted on INEC officials not to announce APGA as the winner of the election, only for the returning officer in the election to cancel two wards’ results and declare the election inconclusive.
He said, however, that APGA wished to caution INEC to be mindful of its actions and not to collude with unpatriotic politicians and anti—democratic forces to deny it victory.
“INEC should allow the votes of the people to count without any manipulation from any quarter, especially from the electoral body,” he said.

Tribune