APC Clears Nasarawa LG Polls
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared all the 13 local government areas and 147 electoral wards of Nasarawa State in the just concluded council polls conducted by the state Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) at the weekend.
Chairman of NASIEC, Henry Omaku, announced results of the election to journalists yesterday at the headquarters of the state electoral body in Lafia, stating further that only two registered political parties, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Alliance Democratic Party (ADP), participated in the state’s council polls.
However, the two major opposition political parties in the state, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), had earlier on announced their boycott of the council polls at the appointment of officials of the state’s electoral umpire by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura on the ground that the appointees were card carrying members of the APC, hence, according to the opposition political parties, “the proposed election would not be free, fair and credible to them.”
When announcing the council polls result, the NASIEC chairman observed that the electoral materials meant for the election had arrived at the designated polling units late due to logistics problem.
He equally lamented at the noncompliance by citizens of the state to the order restricting movement during the election period, even as he complained that the turn out of voters during the exercise was grossly low.
However, the chairman of the state’s electoral umpire was satisfied that there were no reports of violence during the election as the exercise went on and concluded peacefuly in all parts of the state.
Meanwhile, Governor Al-Makura has commended the people of Nasarawa State for their orderly conduct during the state’s council polls.
The governor gave the commendation when addressing journalists shortly after casting his vote at his Lugun Wambai polling unit of Gayam Ward in Lafia Local Government Area of the state at about 1:56p.m. last Saturday.
He also commended the security operatives, election observers and sister electorate authorities from various states who had come to observe what had gone on in the state.
He said: “I have no doubt in my mind of what I have seen in my ward. With the reports I have received across the state is anything to go by, the election will be remembered as one of the elections that added value to democracy not only in Nasarawa State, but Nigeria as a whole.”