Gombe – Gombe State Coalition for Political Parties has rejected Saturday’s council polls in the state, threatening to take legal action if Chairmen or Councillors were inaugurated.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday in Gombe, Alhaji Idi Barde, Acting Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, who spoke on behalf of the coalition, said in spite of the assurances given by the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC), it had failed to conduct the election.
He alleged that there was no election material taken to any polling unit in the state, and that no accreditation of voters took place for the conduct of the election.
He further alleged that Gombe government voted public funds for the conduct of the polls, yet election was never conducted.
“Now that the election has not been conducted, we call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate the whereabouts of the money and to prosecute anybody found to have misappropriated the fund,” he said.
Reacting to the allegation, Chairman of GOSIEC, Mr Caleb Maina, who spoke through Mr Kalagar Kudi, GOSIEC Commissioner in charge of Public Affairs, said election took place.
He said that the only hitch was the late commencement of voting as a result of security reports alerting the commission to plans by some politicians to breach the peace.
Maina said eventually, voting commenced around 12 noon and that the exercise was transparent and hitch-free.
Also in his response, Mr Joel Jagaba, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe state, refuted the allegation.
He said elections were conducted across the 11 Local Government Area of the state.
“The State Independent Electoral Commission called all the political parties before the election, and they agreed to participate.
“All the parties have participated, then why the complaint?; why didn’t they boycott the election?,” he queried.
