Youths from eleven electoral wards of Akwanga Local Government Area on Thursday protested the refusal of the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) to announce its
chairmanship election result.
The youths who converged on Nassarawa-Eggon-Lafia road, were carrying leaves, placards, barricaded and obstructed traffic for many hours.
It took the intervention of the former Chairman of the LGA, Chief Awolowo Illiya, who addressed them, to bring the situation under control.
One of the protesters who would not want is name in mentioned said ‘the electoral act provides that results should be announce at the polling unit, wards and local government levels by
the presiding officer, ward and local government returning officers respectively.
He continued, “Akwanga is a peaceful place and for the sake of justice, the state government and NASIEC should allow the PDP candidate that was declared winner by the local government returning officer to be sworn-in.
“The state had witnessed crises in recent time, so, the mandates of the people should not be stolen in order to avoid the breakdown of law and order in the area,” he added.
Also speaking, the leader of the youths, Mr Sunday Mamma, said that they decided to tell the whole World the injustice that is being meted on the people of Akwanga by the governor and NASIEC.
“The state electoral act, has given the power to the local government returning officer to declare the chairmanship election results.
“Declaration of result by the returning officer is final and anybody that is aggrieved can only seek redress at the LG election tribunal.
“We do not understand why the NASIEC Chairman decided to violet the law by ignoring the announcement made by the returning officers.
“The PDP candidate was returned elected, haven pulled the highest number of valid votes cast and was given a copy of the result as evidence,” he said.
He gave NASIEC 48 hours to announce the PDP candidate as the winner of the poll or face the wrath of the people.
Prompt News Online reports that the Divisional Police Officer, Director of SSS, and the Commandant of the Army helped in calming the situation
