By Godwin Kingsley, Lafia A group known as the Obi Elders Forum has threatened to halt the Local Government Area bye-election organized by the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission(NASIEC) for the 3 three Local Governments it declared inconclusive at the just concluded March 22, LGA polls.
NASIEC had through the state owned broadcasting station, Nasarawa Broadcasting Service announced that it is conducting a re-run election in the three 3 LGAs it declared inconclusive on Monday April 7.
Addressing a press conference in Lafia on Sunday, the Secretary of the forum Williams Jatau ascertained the NASIEC lack powers to propose and conduct elections following the resolutions passed by the State House of Assembly that they should be removed from office.
He maintained that the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) candidate emerged the winner at the LGA polls in Obi having polled 31,885 against the All Progressive Congress(APC) candidate who got 29,790 as announced by the local government Returning Officer in Obi.
Jatau postulated that the cancellation of election result in 3 wards in Obi was constitutional adding that the law empowers the Returning Officer to cancel and nullify results of elections in polling units
which are proved to have been involved in electoral malpractices.
He accused NASIEC of inflicting pains on the people of Obi by making them to bear the brunt of their incompetence in organizing the LGA polls.
“It therefore baffles the forum why citizens of local government should be made to bear the brunt for the ineptitude of NASIEC,” he said.
The forum however, called on Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura to as a matter of urgency swear-in the ‘victorious’ PDP chairmanship candidate in the LGA in order to ensure the sustenance of peace and harmony in the state.
It also urged aggrieved persons to seek redress at the tribunal as stipulated by the electoral law and avoid the breakdown of law and order.
Prompt News Online reports that NASIEC conducted LGA elections on March 22, with the APC winning in 6 LGAs and the PDP winning in 4 LGA while results in Obi, Nasarawa and Akwanga were declared inconclusive by the state electoral body.
