Abdulmumin Jibrin says he was rigged out of Kano re-run elections

Former Lawmaker, Abdulmumin Jibrin from Kano and member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) formerly representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State has said the Saturday re-run election was rigged.

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Aliyu Detti Yako was declared the winner of the Saturday rerun election of Kiru/ Bebeji federal constituency of Kano state.

Jibrin has repeatedly been appointed chairman of the budget and appropriation committees at the National Assembly and has worked on the oversight function over the Budget office and national budget, the appropriation of funds for execution of government programmes and projects. 

Jibrin scored 13,507 votes against 48,601 voters polled by Aliyu of the main opposition party.

But in a statement issued Monday, Jibrin wrote ” My constituents came out en mass to exercise their civic responsibility but were denied their franchise to vote the candidate and party of their choice through the application of maximum force in all the wards of our constituency except my home town of Kofa, Bebeji that proved impenetrable. We know we won the election fairy and squarely but our mandate was stolen.”

The 3 time lawmaker, said in his unit, “elections never took place. The ballot boxes were diverted but scores were miraculously entered. The violence, thuggery and rigging that took place have been carefully documented, at least for posterity.”

He continued, “I have strong reservations about the outcome of the elections. However, INEC has announced my opponent as the winner of the election. “

The statement posted on his Instagram page added that the “Police, other security agencies and voters can bear witness to the fact that the electoral umpire announced the result not because my opponent had scored the majority of lawful votes. I am sure those of them saddled with the responsibility of ensuring a free and fair election but aided and abated this grave injustice against our people will be eternally trailed by the guilt of their conscience and await the ultimate judgement of God.”

The former lawmaker said he has however, accepted the outcome of the elections and “congratulate my opponent Aliyu Datti Ahmed who will continue from where I started about a decade ago and has now come to an end.”

“I look forward to working closely with him and giving him whatever cooperation and assistance to settle down in his new role of representing our people. I do not intend to file petition against his declaration as winner. It is time to move on.”