Senator representing Borno South in the Senate, Mohammad Ndume said the Boko Haram attack in his hometown, Gwoza, on election day prevented many voters from casting their ballots.

Ndume in an interactive session with journalists on Wednesday at his residence in Maiduguri said only about 20,000 out of the 137,000 registered voters, voted in the last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

The Senator now elected for the fourth consecutive time, appreciated the confidence bestowed on him by the people of his constituent, promising that he will sustain the delivery of dividends of democracy, even as he extended an olive branch to his opponents who could not make it in the keen contest.

Similarly, the Senator-Elect for Borno Central on the platform of the ruling APC, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan has praised the people of Borno for voting for their choices in the last Saturday election.

He specifically described his opponent who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Barrister Mohammed Umara Kumalia, but lost out, as a serial -failed- election petitioner, and that he is ready for any Court Case on the allegations that the elections were not conducted transparently and it was against the 2022 electoral Act.

Barrister Lawan singled out praises on President Muhammadu Buhari, President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President-Elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, Governor Babagana Zulum, Shehu of Borno, Dikwa and Bama as well as traditional and religious leaders, Borno APC Chairman, Hon Ali Bukar Dalori, all APC stakeholders, Party supporters and concerned citizens for their unflinching support which led to the peaceful and fair conduct of the election process

Recalled that on Tuesday at a press briefing held at NUJ press centre in Maiduguri, Kumalia had outrightly rejected the results of the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections citing electoral irregularities and refusal to upload results from the polling units to the BVAS and Independent National Electoral Commission’s, INEC’s server/portal based on the 2022 Electoral Act guidelines.

Senator Ndume while interacting with Journalists said, “We have 137,000 registered voters in the Gwoza council area, but less than 20,000 voted,” he disclosed.

He said Boko Haram attacked the town while elections were going on, targeting a primary school, INEC office and another polling unit.

He however expressed satisfaction on the quick intervention by the military. He said the military responded by firing back at the terrorists which created the atmosphere for voting to continue.

He lauded electorates for giving him the fourth mandate, even as he called on those who could not make it to carry- the -cross in order to better the lives of southern Borno people irrespective of tribe, religion, political or ethnic sentiments.

“I want to thank the military for their bravery. They told us to calm down and assured us they will clear Boko Haram within 30 minutes and it didn’t take them more than an hour. I think they should also be commended for the use of technology which helped to get the location of Boko Haram on the hill,” he disclosed.

He equally commended the voters for their courage despite all odds including the failure of the BVAS to work.

Reacting to the Maiduguri Monday Market fire incident, Ndume sympathised with the people. He lauded the steps taken by the state governor, Professor Banagana Zulum in responding to the disaster.

Similarly, Senator-Elect Borno Central, Kaka Shehu Lawan has praised the people of Borno for voting for their choices in the last Saturday election.

He assured that he will ensure all the raised issues that concern his people in the Senate are been addressed.

He commended all APC stakeholders including INEC and the people of Borno Central for the confidence reposed on him to take over from Vice President-Elect, Senator Kashim Shettima who ably and hitherto represented the zone in good faith.

Kaka Shehu also commended traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth/women groups and the entire supporters of the APC who came out en masse and voted for him, assuring that their votes would never be in vain.

“On this note, I described my opponent who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Barrister Mohammed Umara Kumalia, as a serial -failed- election petitioner, and that I am ready for him at any Court Case on the allegations that the elections were not conducted transparently as he alleged it was against the 2022 electoral Act.” Said the senator-elect.

He equally sympathised with the traders and buyers over the unfortunate fire disaster that took place on Sunday morning at the Main Maiduguri Monday Market which razed down many shops with goods worth billions of naira, promising that, the unwholesome development would get the necessary assistance from all and sundry in mitigating the current hardship faced by victims. (Vanguard)

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