Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has said the electoral defeat suffered by the All Progressives Congress (APC) at his polling unit, Ungwar Sarki in Kaduna North Local Government Area to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not because of his non-performance or governance style as a lot of people have claimed.

Announcing the election result, the Presiding Officer of the Unit, Muhammad Sani, said the APC polled 62 votes in the chairmanship election, while the PDP scored 86 votes out of the 159 votes cast.

In the councillorship election, APC also polled 53 votes, while PDP garnered 100 votes out of 162 total votes cast.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television monitored by DAILY INDEPENDENT, the governor said the APC lost because the people in the area voted against the councillor who was going for another term.

He said “Yes, I lost my polling unit. Yes, the councillor in my ward is PDP but that is okay. The councillor that was in the first term was APC, I don’t think the people liked him very much, so they voted against him. They voted against the individual, not really against the party”.

“But they gave more votes to the chairmanship candidates than they did to the councillors because they know the councillor, they see him every day. The chairman is a bit remote. And of course, the governor is very far remote. So, those saying it is a referendum on me got it wrong. I am not on the ballot”.

While applauding the use of an electronic voting system in the local government election, El-Rufai said the APC lost many councillorship seats to the PDP because the party returned many of the councillors but the people of the state who were not satisfied with their performance voted against them.

According to him, the result of the exercise has given the people of the state a lot of confidence that their votes will always count in future elections.

“We need to have more advocacy on the use of the machines and the third thing which I think is a very positive thing is the fact that, for instance in Kaduna North local government, even though APC won the chairmanship, we lost more than half of the councillors because the councillors that served in the last three years were returned by the party using consensus but many people were not happy with that. So, they voted against them. They didn’t vote for PDP, they voted against the councillorship candidates, so we lost.”
https://independent.ng/el-rufai-blames-councillor-for-losing-polling-unit-to-pdp/

He said “Yes, I lost my polling unit. Yes, the councillor in my ward is PDP but that is okay. The councillor that was in the first term was APC, I don’t think the people liked him very much, so they voted against him. They voted against the individual, not really against the party”.

APC and blame-game. Tufiakwa.

I'm glad he didn't blame Jonathan administration for the loss.

Ndi ara!

I see the councillor blaming him too for his loss but he dare not say it out so that his house won't be demolished

Somebody must take the blame... But not the APC goons ...


Even when they can't perform their responsibilities as governors of 8yrs... they'll blame bandits and herdsmen....

I saw the short man explaining himself on TV yesterday.
Irrespective of his shortcomings in security sector of Kaduna state, I appreciate his intervention in the electronic voting discourse.

Kaduna has proven the world that electronic voting is possible in Nigeria.

Those clueless Senators should have a rethink

Lagos state too should try it

Moferere:
I saw the short man explaining himself on TV yesterday.
Irrespective of his shortcomings in security sector of Kaduna state, I appreciate his intervention in the electronic voting discourse.

Kaduna has proven the world that electronic voting is possible in Nigeria.

Those clueless Senators should have a rethink

Kudos to El-Rufai for conducting a free and fair local government election. This is a very good credit to his credential as a democrat. In other states, the SIEC in connivance with the ruling party would simply write the results from the government house. For once, this is a departure from the norm and I hope that it is sustained by subsequent governors.

nairavsdollars:
Lagos state too should try it

Aaaaaaaaaaah you want to take away food from Tinubu's mouth?

If Kaduna electoral commission that is controlled by you conducted election for you and you lose, then if only you can allow free and fair election during general election, you will certainly lose.

This man is smart and ahead of other Governors in terms of creativity and innovation


People's hatred on him is a testimony that hatred on Buhari as seen on NL is not as a result of performance but based on sentiments and follow come hatred.


Electronic voting will change the narrative of governance in Nigeria

Try electronic voting in 042 and see that PDP cannot win any seat in the Chairmanship and councilorship positions


Anambra result will shock us all

phemmie06:
If Kaduna electoral commission that is controlled by you conducted election for you and you lose, then if only you can allow free and fair election during general election, you will certainly lose.

Is that how pdp allow free n fair election.

I still give it to PDP especially Jonathan

Ballmer:


Is that how pdp allow free n fair election.