Opposition parties and voters have rejected the results of Saturday?s local government election across Niger State, alleging widespread irregularities, disenfranchisement, and manipulation in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reports from across the 25 local government areas indicated the late arrival or in some cases, the complete absence of electoral officials and materials at polling units. Opposition parties accused the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) of colluding with the APC to suppress voter turnout and manipulate results, an allegation yet to be refuted by the commission or the ruling party.

Although official results were still being collated at press time, the APC appeared to be leading with wide margins in both chairmanship and councillorship races. However, protests broke out in Suleja, Wushishi, Lavun, and several other LGAs, where voters alleged result tampering and intimidation by security agents.

At the Veterinary Polling Unit in Nassarawa A Ward, Chanchaga LGA, voter Musa Usman Wada told Daily Trust that the register used had been altered, disenfranchising hundreds of voters.

?We expected about 1,500 voters based on the register used in past elections, but the one displayed was under 500 names,? he said. ?Many came as early as 6 a.m., but voting didn?t start even by 11 a.m. People got tired and left.?

In Rijau LGA, opposition parties claimed that no election took place. In a viral video, the PDP Returning Officer for Rijau, Abdullahi Shehu Mohammed, alleged that most electoral materials were withheld at the NSIEC office.

?Of the 40,000 ballot papers meant for Rijau, only 35,800 were distributed,? he said. ?As of 5 p.m., the Electoral Officer was nowhere to be found, and no supervisors or presiding officers were seen. We want the world to know that no election was held in Rijau.?

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) Chairman for Chanchaga LGA, Hon. Isah Barau, said the exercise was ?neither credible nor transparent.?

?There were 220,000 registered voters, but only 110,000 ballot papers were distributed,? he said. ?In polling units with 1,000 registered voters, just 300 ballot papers were provided. Voting began late, and materials were shared at the Minna Central Police Station instead of the NSIEC office.?

Bello Nasiru Gabas, PDP Secretary in Chanchaga, alleged that party officials were harassed and detained.

?On Friday night, when we demanded to know what happened to the missing ballot papers, security agents fired shots and teargas to disperse us,? he said. ?Our deputy chairman was arrested and our vehicles seized. This was not an election; it was daylight robbery.?

Efforts to reach APC State Publicity Secretary, Musa Danjuma Sarkinkaji, for comments were unsuccessful as calls to his phone went unanswered.

Governor?s convoy attacked in Bida

Meanwhile, Governor Umar Bago?s convoy was attacked on Sunday by angry youths in his hometown of Bida. The mob reportedly pelted vehicles with stones, injuring several people, including one of the governor?s close aides, Abubakar Mustapha, Chairman of the New Niger Development Project.

Sources told Daily Trust that the unrest followed a failed cash-sharing exercise allegedly organized by the governor ahead of the elections. Bago was said to have distributed money to only a few among hundreds who gathered at his residence, sparking outrage.

The youths reportedly destroyed the governor?s billboards and vandalized several vehicles. The attack came two days after a stampede at a similar event in Bida, where a teenage girl reportedly died and several others were injured. Some women were said to have faced domestic repercussions after attending the event without their husbands? consent.

Several calls put across to the Chief Press Secretary went unanswered. Similarly, calls to the Special Adviser to the governor on Communication Strategy, Jonathan Vatsa, were not answered.

APC suspends lawmaker over alleged anti-party activity

In a related development, the Niger State APC has suspended Yusuf Kure Baraje, member representing Bosso/Paikoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, for alleged anti-party activities during the council polls.

The suspension letter, signed by Baba Achi, APC Chairman of Paikoro LGA, stated: ?This letter serves as formal confirmation of your indefinite suspension from our party following a recommendation by the executives of the Amale B Polling Unit of Ishau Ward.?

Baraje was directed to withdraw from all party activities and stop parading himself as an APC member. He was accused of working against the incumbent council chairman, Aminu Umar Yadayi.

The development deepens existing cracks within the party in Paikoro LGA, where factions have been at odds since last year?s controversial consensus arrangement.

In July, Justice Abdullahi Mikaili of the Niger State High Court, Minna, ordered the withdrawal of the certificate of return issued to the incumbent council chairman after ruling that Ibrahim Abdullahi Aloma was the duly selected consensus candidate.

As the dust settles from the contentious polls, questions persist over the credibility of the exercise and whether NSIEC can restore public confidence ahead of future elections. (Daily Trust)

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