By Chris Nomjov
The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Gombe State has alleged that the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Kassim Geidam, is hiding under the guise of a rumoured Boko Haram attack to suspend the collation of results of presidential and National Assembly elections which held Saturday.
Mr. Geidam reportedly announced the suspension of results collation on radio on Sunday citing intelligence reports that the sect members were planning to attack the collation centre, which is the auditorium building at Federal Medical Centre, Gombe.
The APC, however, said the REC is conniving with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to deny ex-governor Danjuma Goje victory after initial results showed that Mr. Goje was on the verge of being re-elected for a second term as Senator.
“It is our belief that INEC, PDP and some security operatives are conniving to ensure that all results collated will be made to favour PDP aspirants so as to deny Senator Danjuma Goje and others who are emerging as winners,” said Dattuwa Kumo, an APC stalwart in the state.
The party also condemned the decision to suspend collation of result “on the basis of mere rumour”.
Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram on Saturday attacked Nafada and Dukku local government killing 8 persons including some electoral officials.
The gunmen also attacked three local governments in neighbouring Bauchi State – Alkaleri, Kirfi and Bauchi local governments.
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi has imposed a 24 hour curfew in the three local governments, but like in Gombe, youth in Bauchi said the curfew was imposed to allow the ruling PDP rig the outcome of the election.
They have, therefore, reportedly defied the curfew and thronged to the gate of the INEC office in the state to monitor the collation exercise.
Mr. Goje’s residence in his home town of Kashere was surrounded by soldiers Saturday evening who restrained him and members of his family from venturing outside until 6:30 a.m.
The ex-governor informed PREMIUM TIMES on phone that his travails were as a result of his “coasting to victory”, which he said “is likely to ruffle feathers”.
Efforts to reach Mr. Geidam were unsuccessful. Calls to his mobile line failed to connect and a text message sent to him was also not responded to at the time of publishing this story.
