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•Claims victory over APC in AMAC •Demands justice for slain polling agent
From Idu Jude Abuja
The Leadership of the Obidient Movement has described the outcome of the FCT council polls as a national disgrace and an assault on the foundation of democracy in Nigeria.
National Coordinator of the Movement, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, expressed disappointment over alleged voter apathy, vote buying, snatching of ballot papers and thuggery, which he said were indications that the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC,) has failed to prove his worth.
He said: “We address you today with a heavy heart, filled with both profound disappointment and righteous anger. The results of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship election, as well as others held last Saturday, February 21, are not just a political setback; they are a brazen assault on the very foundations of our democracy.
“As many of you know, the Obidient Movement, and indeed, fellow Nigerians threw their full weight behind the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dr. Moses Paul (Dr. Mo). Inspired by the vision of a new Nigeria, our supporters mobilised with unprecedented passion, creating a powerful coalition for change.”
He further alleged that the INEC contributed to voter apathy by dividing the polling units without informing the people. Making it difficult for voters to locate their polling units. “Many left in frustration and not voting with seven percent turn out.”
He explained that Mr. Peter Obi showed his leadership capacity with the love of the people and came out to support the candidates of the party within a short time of joining the ADC by calling his supporters to come out and vote. He said this explains the marginal increase of voters compared with previous FCT local government elections.
“We were clearly ahead in the polls and the will of the people was undeniable.
Yet, what we witnessed was a criminal subversion of that will. The declared victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not earned at the ballot box; it was manufactured through a campaign of violence, intimidation and blatant manipulation.
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“Our agents on the ground were systematically targeted. They were harassed, threatened and intimidated in a desperate attempt to silence them.
“Tragically, this campaign of fear culminated in the ultimate price: one of our most dedicated agents, a patriot named Mr. Musa Abubakar, was brutally murdered at his post in the Gwagwa polling unit for resisting a daring attempt by hoodlums to hijack ballot boxes and subvert the will of voters.”
Tanko argued that the fear factor was also what the ruling APC used as they started threatening agents early to the point that the agents fled, especially after seeing one of their own stabbed and killed.
“We did not alert everyone at the point of the situation, so as not to scare other agents from their location about the thuggery going on by the APC. “Let me be clear: Mr. Musa’s death is not just a statistic. He was a husband, a father, a son and a Nigerian who believed in a better future. His blood is on the hands of those who orchestrated this electoral fraud and the thugs they hired to enforce it. We appreciate Dr. Mo and his team for visiting the family immediately in solidarity and for providing support.
“We are outraged by the act of stealing the people’s mandate. The people of AMAC spoke clearly with their votes, choosing a new direction with Dr. Mo and the ADC.
“Their voices were stolen in broad daylight. We will not stand by and watch our democracy be desecrated. “We demand a full and transparent review of the election results and call on the security agencies to bring the perpetrators of this violence, especially the murderers of Mr. Musa, to justice.
“We call on all Nigerians, civil society organisations and the international community to stand with us.
“We must condemn this electoral injustice in its entirety. We urge INEC to act immediately to address these grave allegations and restore the sanctity of the ballot.
This is no longer about one election. This is a fight for the soul of our nation,” he stated.
