Kaduna PDP guber candidate, Isa Ashiru, rejects election result, vows to reclaim mandate

The candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded governorship election in Kaduna State, Isa, Ashiru Kudan, has rejected the result declared by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which was in favour of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ashiru who addressed newsmen on Monday evening said, he stood on the position of his party to challenge what he called contrived results at the election tribunal to reclaim his stolen mandate.

According to him, the disparity between the numbers of votes obtained in the presidential election and the governorship election was unbelievable. “How could the people of Kaduna State be convinced that the APC could get more votes during the governorship election than it got in the last presidential election?

“I wish to state without any fear of contradiction that reports obtained by our party from across the state indicate that the elections were marred by a lot of irregularities.

“It is on the basis of these established irregularities that our party in a petition to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rejected the results and called for its outright cancellation.

“Our dear members of the media, it is important for you to note that available reports have shown that smart card readers were not used during the elections in a lot of polling units in Giwa, Birnin Gwari, Kaduna North, Igabi, Zaria, Lere, and Ikara local government areas.

“It is our firm belief that the non-usage of the card readers which is a violation of the electoral guidelines had rendered the results from those areas invalid and should have been canceled.

“Another issue of concern to our party is the clear militarisation of the electoral process in various part of the state, as military personnel were used to intimidate voters particularly in the areas where our party has overwhelming strength and support. Of a particular example is the use of the military in Birnin Gwari and Kauru local government areas. Soldiers were also used to alter the result of our House of Assembly candidate to in Makera constituency of Kaduna South local government area.

“I am sure a lot of people in Kaduna State will consider it unbelievable, the disparity between the number of votes obtained in the presidential election and the governorship election. How could the people of Kaduna State be convinced the APC got more votes during the governorship elections than it got in the last presidential elections?

“Based on this and other irregularities, I hereby stand by the position of my party to challenge the contrived results at the election tribunal to get back our stolen mandate.”