The Former Secretary to Government of the Federation and a Chieftain of All Progressives Congress party in Adamawa state,Engr Babachir David Lawan described the last Saturday concluded Local Government elections in the state “to be such a shame,such a crass and disrespectful to the People.”
According to Babachir,the Purported LGA elections has fallen standard of a credible,free and fair election as promised by the Executive Governor of the state,Rt Hon Ahmad Umaru Fintiri.
“Inspite of a past assurances by the Adamawa state Governor that there will be an open free and fair LGA elections. There was no election in Hong LGA even in a single polling unit. No elections materials and no election officials were sighted any where in the LGA up to 4pm on Saturday when i returned to Yola.”Lawan said
David who said this in a press statement and made available to journalists in Yola,revealed that Youths of Hong because of the election irregularities set up burn fires and barricades the road in Hong and it only took his intervention,the police and other people’s good will to calm down the situation.
While disturbed over the conduct of the election,David said he expected the present Government to have conducted a free and fair elections because if the federal Government did not allow INEC to conduct a credible election in the state he wouldn’t have been a Governor.
He lambasted the Fintiri led government of conquering the people than administrating social justice haven been known there is already IDPs in Pella and Kullinyi who because of Herders/Farmers clashes are camped,suggesting that the entire LGA is not safe for an election to be conducted.
“Whoever will be a beneficiary of this criminality should note that he/she will be an illegitimate occupant of the office and has every cause to be ashamed of his/her role in this shameful conduct.” He added
While calling on the electorates and any agrieved person to remain calm,he advised them to pursue their issues in line with the dictates of the law as relates to elections.
In his response the state Chairman,Adamawa independent Electoral commission (ADSIEC), Alhaji Isa Shettima said the former SGF can say whatever he feels he want to say as for him he has finish the task before him and elections were conduct in Hong.
“I have my records all polling agents,security agents and election observers have testified that i conducted a free and fair election,base on the records i have Hong election was fairly done.” Shettima said
He disclaimed that Babachir had lied to have said there was a burn fires by angry youth in Hong.
“Babachir is laying to have said that Youths were aggrieved and wanted to protest at the cause of the election.infact nothing like that.” He added
He gave a scenario with Ekiti state LGA election conducted simultaneously with Adamawa state where ten people were reported to have lost their lives and no one person was reported to have die in Adamawa.
