APC, others reject Gombe LG polls

The Coalition of Opposition Political Parties in Gombe State yesterday rejected the local government election conducted by State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC).

Addressing newsmen at the party’s headquarters on behalf of the coalition, Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Idi Barde Gubana, said there was no election in the entire 11 local government areas of the state.

He said “despite the huge amount of tax payers’ money spent by the commission, the election did not hold in any of the 11 LGAs”.

The coalition, therefore, asked the commission to immediately refund all the monies it collected from candidates of opposition parties that contested in the election.

The caretaker chairman also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the misappropriation of public funds by the GOSIEC.

Our correspondent reports that the council election witnessed low turnout of voters, just as electoral materials were not delivered to several polling units.

When Daily Trust on Sunday visited some of the LGAs, the electoral officers were sighted at various polling units awaiting delivery of election materials.

Some voters who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday, said the delay by the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC) to commence the exercise resulted in the low turnout of voters, who left after waiting for long on the queue.

The GOSIEC Commissioner for Public Affairs, Mr. Kalagar Kudi Lubo, said the delay in the distribution of sensitive election materials was due to security threats.

He said some hoodlums invaded the commission’s premises on Friday evening while sensitive materials were being sorted out for distribution to the various LGAs.

Mr. Lubo said the commission had to put in place adequate security arrangement to prevent breakdown of law and order.