Politics
INEC Official Known For Conducting ‘Violent, Fraudulent Elections’ To Oversee Edo Election
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had deployed five Resident Electoral Commissioners to Edo State ahead of the Governorship Election in the state.
Information gathered revealed that one of the REC posted to Edo State is Kano State REC, Prof Riskuwa Shehu.
A source which spoke with SaharaReporters noted that Shehu is known for conducting one of the most violent and fraudulent governorship elections in Nigeria.
Further report revealed that Shehu was involved in the November 16 Kogi State governorship election.
Recall that there were reports of violence and fraud in the governorship election in Kano and this led to the death of about 10 people.
Few days before the election, a video was spotted showing the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Abbas, describing the election as “do or die”.
Abbas in the video assured the supporters that the party would provide maximum protection for members even if it means ensuring the dismissal of police officers who try to restore order.
Despite the threats and violence in the state, Shehu still declared the governorship candidate of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, winner of the governorship election.
Ganduje had earlier lost the first election held on March 9 by about 26,000 votes, but his total votes in the two polls put him ahead of his main challenger, candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Abba Yusuf.
A source while speaking with SaharaReporters noted that Shehu was deliberately posted to Edo by the INEC Chairman despite the fact that he rigged election in favour of the APC in Kano State.
“He was posted there for a reason, he is the mastermind of violent rigging of Kano rereun election, in which women were raped and opposition voters prevented from casting their votes.”
“Prof Mahmud Yakubu deliberately posted him to Edo despite the compromising fact that Ganduje is leading APC’s campaign. This is a man that is widely known to be partisan and close to Ganduje,” the source said.
