It has been alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi state is planning to rig the forthcoming general elections in the state considering the fact that the electorate has lost interest in the party following its inability to fulfil any of its campaign promises to the people.

The allegation was made by the gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ambassador Shuaibu Ahmed Adamu while speaking with newsmen in his house on Saturday declaring that, we have since uncovered the plans by the APC to rig the elections and we are ready to ensure that they did not have their way. We will do anything possible to ensure that the votes cast counted. People should protect their votes”.

He said that “I don’t have full confidence in INEC to conduct a free and fair election in the state. The only way the present Governor can win an election is by rigging. I don’t see how he can win a free and fair election and I have seen him taking some actions that indicate so. Two days ago the INEC office in Ningi which is my local government was condoned off and the roof completely removed in the name that they are going to renovate it, it is not true, no renovation is going to take place. Four years after the last election you did not think of renovation but now only three weeks to the election you said that you are renovating, how is that going to be possible”.

The gubernatorial candidate further alleged that, “they just want to move the INEC office into the Police barracks where people will not have access to it, we have heard this before and it has been confirmed, even in Bauchi town they want to move the INEC collation centre or office in to the Army or Police barracks where people will not be able to enter to monitor the happenings. I have the pictures of the place, there is no way they can complete the renovation before the elections. We are not going to accept that and we are going to write a petition against INEC on this to let the whole world know what is happening and encourage the people to stand up and defend their rights. We are going to mobilize the people to guard their votes”.

When contacted, the Spokesman of INEC in Bauchi, Ishaq confirmed that the local government office is indeed under renovation assuring however that the Directorate of engineering of the Commission is doing everything possible to ensure that the renovation was completed in good time.

He, however, declined further comment on the issue promising that he will make contact with the relevant officials and get back to the journalists.

•Excerpted from a Tribune report.