SAN FRANCISCO, December 04, (THEWILL) – Some female supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, deputy governorship candidate in the November 21 inconclusive election in Kogi State, Mr. Abiodun Faleke yesterday barricaded the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Lokoja, the state capital.
Dressed mostly in black as they resolved not to vacate the premises until INEC declares APC and Faleke as winner of the election, the women lampooned the commission for concluding that the election was inconclusive.
The protesting women, who wielded placards with various inscriptions giving vent to their demand, sat at strategic locations and the entrance of the INEC office. Meanwhile, a detachment of policemen from the nearby state police headquarters kept close watch to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
They accused the electoral body of plunging the state into political turmoil for not declaring Prince Abubakar Audu and Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, of the APC the winner, stressing that the excuse given by the commission could not stand the test of time.
Spokesperson of the protesters, Mrs. Folashade Joseph claimed that INEC created the problem and must hasten to solve it.
According to her, “We are here to register a protest about INEC’s declaration that the election was inconclusive, and to let them know that they are the ones that have created this problem now.
“INEC wants to deliberately set the state on fire for reasons best known to it. We have over 2,400 polling units in Kogi State. We do not understand why INEC will say election was inconclusive in 91 polling units.
“With the registered voters of only 49,000, out of the over 500,000 people who voted in the state, and out of this only 25,000 have permanent voters’ cards, PVCs, to vote, which means the votes expected cannot be up to 25,000.
“APC is leading with over 41,000 and had won 16 local government areas out of 21 which shows that the party was victorious in the election and INEC should have clearly declared the election concluded and announced APC winner.
“INEC has treated Kogi State very unfairly and is responsible for this various factions that has come up in APC. The election they intend to conduct is a mere waste of time and resources.
“We are going to sit out here till INEC reverse itself by doing the right thing and announce that Audu/Faleke won; they won for APC, they have a joint ticket.
“We are calling on well-meaning Nigerians and the president who is our father, to wade in, so that the right thing can be done,” Mrs. Joseph said.
