Apathy mars Kebbi gubernatorial rerun

By Abdullah el-Kurebe

…as Dakingari coasts home to victory
Kebbi State gubernatorial election, held, yesterday, was characterised by poor turnout. The poll itself was boycotted by the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) whose candidate, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Argungu, alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was biased in all its processes ahead of the election.

Early results showed that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Seidu Dakingari, was coasting home to victory.

Argungu said INEC did not contact the ANPP or himself about the stakeholders meeting, held in Kebbi, when the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, came there.

According to him, “From the onset, there was no fairness. When INEC scheduled a meeting of stakeholders in Kebbi in preparation for today’s rerun election, invitation was neither extended to my party or myself who is its governorship candidate.”

Asked if the party’s non invitation to the meeting was enough reason for him to withdraw from the contest, he said: “There are processes that lead to an election. Election itself is only an event and if the processes are faulty, the event is bound to be faulty. INEC has made a date with the PDP and the ANPP and i cannot be party to this anomaly.”

In a swift reaction, the Secretary to Kebbi State Government, Alhaji Nura Usman Kangiwa, said the lamentations by Argungu were mere rantings of someone who perceived that he was going to lose at the polls. Although the rerun election was peaceful, low turnout was registered in  many parts of the state.

When Sunday Vanguard  went round some local government areas in the state, electoral officials were   seen sitting idle.
However, in Kangiwa and Dandi local governments, there was impressive turnout