The Returning Officer for the Tudun Wada/Doguwa House of Representatives elections who returned Alhassan Doguwa, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, who contested on the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner has said he was forced to do so under duress.
The Returning Officer , Professor Ibrahim Yakasai said he had to agree to do the bidding of those who invaded the collation centre to save his life and the lives of other officials
Meanwhile INEC has declared the Election in the area inconclusive on the weight of the evidence provided by Yakasai.
Yakasai Letter :
“I served as the Returning Officer for the 2023 Tudun Wada/Doguwa House of Representatives elections whose results were declared by me on the 26th February, 2023.
“However, I will like to testify that the declaration made was under duress for fear of losing my life and other INEC officials who were with me. The collation area was completed under siege, threatening to burn down the INEC facility if I did not declare the result within one hour.
I was completely traumatised, hopeless and confused which did not give me the stability of mind to work in accordance with the Electoral Act and election guidelines as areas or polling units where the elections were cancelled, the total number of accredited voters were not compared with margin of the scores that led to the declaration and finally the situation my colleagues and found ourselves could not give us the opportunity to attend to the complaints of non-use of BVAS in some polling units.
“I hope my statement would be kindly looked at and necessary action to be taken in accordance with section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022.”
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