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Rose Ejembi, Makurdi and Desmond Mgboh Kano
Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has called on residents to desist from spreading rumours that can lead to violence, following the declaration of the governorship election in the state as inconclusive.
The monarch made the call while addressing a news conference at his palace, in Kano, yesterday.
He said the call was necessary so as to douse the tension generated in the city as a result of the declaration of the governorship election as inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday.
He said the law empowers only INEC to announce election results, stressing that, “that should be respected by the people.”
He warned those sharing results not released by the electoral body to stop, in order not to mislead people.
“INEC is the only body given the power, under the law, to announce election results, and it has done that by declaring the election inconclusive, hence, there will be re-run,” he said.
The emir also advised politicians not to heat up the polity, by making comments that could lead to violence in the state.
“Politicians should not see elections as war, but, rather, a contest that should be conducted peacefully.”
Sanusi commended security agents in the state for their efforts at sustaining peace before, during and after the election.
He specifically commended the state Police Commissioner, Mr Muhammad Wakili, for restoring public confidence in the police.
“The Police Commissioner, Muhammad Wakili, is worthy of commendation, in view of the fact that he has restored public confidence in the police,“ he said.
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has assured his teeming supporters of victory in the forthcoming supplementary governorship election in the state.
In a statement made available to Daily Sun signed by his spokesman, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, the candidate lamented that the election was declared inconclusive by INEC, due to irregularities allegedly perpetrated by opponents.
This, he admitted, led to over-voting and eventual cancellation of many polling units in the state.
He said: “Kano people has seen, glaringly, the enemies of democracy, who are high ranking officials of the state government. They vandalised an election collation centre with the sole aim of truncating the declaration process to deny PDP’s victory.”
The governorship candidate, therefore, prayed, “that all election offenders would be charged to court at the earliest possible time, to serve as a deterrence to all anti–democracy forces and persons.”
“We call on all supporters to remain calm, we are known to be peace lovers and so we shall remain, as we are very sure of victory during the rerun” he also said.
