Katsina re-run peaceful

Agaju Madugba, Katsina

Eligible voters from a total of 15 polling units of the Dutsi/Mashi Federal Constituency grouped out on Saturday, February 10, for House of Representatives re-run election.

The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Katsina had earlier nullified the election last May of Mansur Ali Mashi, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), following a petition by the People’s Democratic Party and its candidate, Nazifi Ayuba.

The Court of Appeal later sustained the annulment, following which the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) organized a re-run in the affected areas where the Tribunal had affirmed that the election process was characterized by irregularities.

Accreditation of voters commenced at most of the polling units as early as 8 am, and there were no reports of failure of the card readers at the centres visited even as security personnel were on hand to check any possible breach of the process.

The Katsina State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Jibril Zarewa, who also monitored the re-run, told reporters at Tagura Yamma II poling unit of Mashi local government area that the Commission would ensure a credible and acceptable re-run election.

“We shall ensure credible and acceptable re-run election, in line with provisions of the law.”

As at the time of this report on Saturday, the votes were still being collated to determine the outcome of the re-run.

The police said it had deployed about 1,500 officers and men to the areas, apart from personnel from other security agencies.