By John Mkom
What dominated the public discourse in Jalingo, the
state capital, were conflicting opinions. More people
believed that there will be no election, only a handful
was confident that it will take place.
Another point of contention was whether or not the a
credible election would be conducted in the country
in spite of assurances by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the March 28, Presidential and National
Assembly elections across the country restored
hope.
Taraba governorship election
The governorship election took place simultaneously
in all the 168 of the state last Saturday and by
Sunday, April 12, the results had started coming in at
the INEC office collection centre in Jalingo. Beginning
with Jalingo, Ardo Kola, Lau and Gassol local
councils, the opposition All Progressives Congress,
APC, was in the lead amid complaints of electoral
violence even in these areas leading to cancellation
of results from polling units.
When the other 11 local councils turned in their
results leaving only Sarduna, it became clear that the
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Arc.
Darious Dickson Ishaku will carry the day.
However, following complaints from the APC, results
from 20 polling units in Bali were cancelled. The APC
was leading the area with 23,263 votes compared to
PDP’s 15,314 votes. Also cancelled were results from
12 polling units in Takum, nine in Karim Lamido, four
each in Ussa and Wukari and one each in Yorro and
Zing.
The crux of the matter
When the results from Donga local council was
brought, there was a complaint of electoral violence
affecting five polling units. PDP was leading with
37,069 votes while the APC candidate had 10,087
votes.
There was no complain against votes from the
remaining 160 polling units but the Taraba State INEC
Returning Officer, Prof. Muhammed Kyari and the
Residential Electoral Commissioner, Ahmad Makama
agreed that the results of the entire local council be
cancelled. They told observers in the hall and
journalists that it is within their powers to do what
they did.
They also agreed that the governorship election in
Taraba was inconclusive because the 54812 votes
margin of lead between the Arc Darious Dicksion
Ishaku of the PDP and Senator Jumai Aisha Alhassan
of the APC was less than the 127,125 cancelled votes.
Facts and figures
At the end of the collation when the figures were
computed Arc. D.D. Ishaku scored 317,198 while Sen.
Aisha of all progressive Congress scored 262,386
without the votes in Donga, the margin lead became
54,812 and cancelled votes became 127,125.
When the votes from the other 160 polling units from
Donga are added to the total votes scored by both
candidates, the PDP candidate will be leading with
354,267 while the APC candidate will have 272,473.
The cancelled votes will stand at 79,969 while margin
of lead will be 81,794 votes.
Reactions
The senator representing Taraba South Senatorial
District, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha at a press
conference described the action of the electoral
umpire in the state as stinking abuse of the electoral
process.
Thus, as the state goes for supplementary elections
to decide the winner of the polls, there is fear of
violence and electoral manipulation in the polity.
There is fear of voters’ apathy as well. It is hoped that
all stakeholders will play their roles effectively to
ensure a free and fair and credible election.

The battle line is drawn.

Man or Woman/ xtians or muslims/ apc or pdp/ wuruwuru/lawful

lshiaku

Alhassan we need change every where

TunjiMsp:
Alhassan we need change every where

do your maths bro, how will she close the gap? And to think most of the LGs the re-run is scheduled to take place in are PDP strongholds/Ishaku's zone. She has no chance, Donga LG is my hometown and it will be where the winner will be revealed, it's a core PDP stronghold with an expected 35,000 votes.