By-elections: INEC suspends Plateau officer, thugs kill one in Kaduna
The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Sunday, suspended the Electoral Officer for Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Fred Ogboji, over the alleged missing of some ballot papers deployed in the council area for the rerun elections in the Plateau North Senatorial District and that of Jos North/Bassa Federal constituency seats.
The PUNCH had reported that the rerun election conducted by INEC for Plateau North Senatorial District and Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency were marred mainly by voter apathy and ballot papers shortage.
In some of the polling units, some INEC officials were held hostage by angry voters who wanted to cast their ballots but could not due to a shortage of ballot papers.
The development forced the electoral body to postpone the rerun election in 13 polling units of Tudun Wada/Kabong Ward and three other polling units in Naraguta B Ward, all in Jos North LGA, till Sunday.
INEC, on a Sunday, in a letter by the Head of Department, Electoral Operations, Isa Abah Idakwo, on behalf of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, directed the Electoral Officer, Ogboji, to hand over his responsibilities to the next senior officers to enable the commission to complete the remaining part of the election.
The letter dated February 4, 2024, read in part: “You are directed to step aside from office to enable the commission to carry out proper investigation and circumstances that led to the missing of Federal House of Representatives ballot papers in 16 polling units in your local government.
“You are further directed to hand over to Barrister Elekwa Onyemauche, the Local Government Supervisor and the two RA Supervisors of Tudun Wada/ Kabong and Naraguta B (E O Shendam and E O Kanke Local Government Areas respectively) to coordinate and complete the remaining process. Thank you.”
Earlier, the Inter-Party Advisory Council urged INEC to fish out those behind the sudden disappearance of ballot papers meant for certain areas during the Saturday rerun election in Plateau State and prosecute them accordingly.
IPAC said unless such actions were taken, perpetrators of electoral fraud would continue to manipulate the will of the people, thereby giving the electoral umpire a bad image.
One killed in Kaduna
There was confusion in Rigachikun in the Igabi Local Government of Kaduna State on Sunday, following the killing of a 40-year-old man during Saturday’s by-election in the area by suspected political thugs.
According to an eyewitness, the victim, Mansur Shafiu, was killed by suspected political thugs in his efforts to prevent ballot box snatching.
“In trying to prevent them, one of the thugs brought out a knife and stabbed him,” the eyewitness said.
The spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan, who confirmed the incident, said suspected political thugs who snatched election materials at the Tsohon Garin Rigachikun polling unit, shot the victim.
He said the victim was shot in the leg by suspected political thugs and that after being rushed to the hospital, he died.
Mansur was said to be a graduate of Sociology from the Kaduna State University.
The incident sparked a protest as youths from Rigachikun barricaded the Zaria-Rigachikun highway which led to a gridlock, leaving motorists stranded. But normalcy was restored after the military intervened.
Meanwhile, results of the Saturday reruns and by-elections began trickling in on Sunday.
In Kaduna State, Hussaini Jallo of the Peoples Democratic Party was declared winner of Igaba Federal Constituency by-election.
In Ondo State, Ife Ehindero of the All Progressives Congress was declared winner of the Akoko North-East/Akoko North-West Federal Constituency of Ondo State.
In Anambra State, Peter Uzokwe of the Young Progressives Party won the rerun election for Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency.
