From SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State has called for the cancelation of the Saturday’s Local Government Council elections held across the state .
It also alleged that the election was characterized by series of manipulations, diversion of sensitive electoral materials, massive thumb prints and purchase of votes by government agents in the presence of security agencies and electoral officials.
The party further claimed that the LG Polls was compromised against the tenets of democracy,.
Unfortunately, the allegations were coming at the time that the members and supporters of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) were describing the Borno LG polls as successful, peaceful, credible and hitch free election after more than 10 years in the political history of the state.

It will be recalled that this is the first time Borno State Government is conducting a local government council election after about a decade of due to boko haram insurgency challenges that threatened the peace, tranquility, commercial, social and economic activities leaving the administration of the 27 LGCs in the hands of appointed Caretaker Committee Chairmen at every months by the state government .
Governor, Zulum had also on Friday during a statewide broadcast congratulated all participating political parties for playing the game according to the rules during the electioneering campaigns, giving assurance that the exercise would be conducted in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere.
However, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Amos Adziba in a statement issued Saturday said, “The ruling APC, Borno State Government, State Independent Electoral Commission and some security agencies connived to rig the polls in all the 27 Councils.”
He alleged that a serving APC member in the State House of Assembly, (BOSHA), Askira Uba LGC Constituency, who is also the Deputy Speaker, BOSHA, Engineer Abdullahi Musa Askira, Mr Tarpaya Asariya, the Permanent Secretary Borno State Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, as well as some security agencies of connivance and carting away with sensitive ballot papers and election materials such as ballot papers and boxes, return results and results sheets among others to thumb print for the APC.
Adziba further accused the APC ruling party of repeating the same election fraud in some Local Government Areas of the state such as Kwaya Kusar, Shani, Hawul, Bayo amongst others.
“The APC are in collusion with the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC). They have taken aggressive steps mostly through inducements, manipulation’s and incarcerations using the elements of state power including Nigerian police force and other security agencies.
“The SIEC must live up to its responsibilities to correct these anomalies by cancelling the elections to ensure transparency, fairness and credible elections. Because even the Governor came out publicly yesterday on a live broadcast to say the polls should be free and fair, unfortunately, the reverse is now the case today” the statement said.
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