By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The Taraba State Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Hon. Andeta’rang Iramae, has expressed worry over the delay in declaring Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas of the PDP as winner of the governorship election in Taraba state by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking with journalists in Jalingo, Andeta’rang and other PDP supporters who besieged the INEC office on Monday alleged that INEC State Collation/Returning Officer and Resident Electoral Commission (REC) have no any reason to delay the announcement of Col. Agbu Kefas as the winner of the governorship election having won landslide, scoring the highest number of the total votes cast.
“Tempering with results at this stage is dangerous. The outcome have been formally collated and received at the INEC Headquarters in Taraba.
“We are here to defend our vote so INEC should not delay to declare result because PDP candidate, Col. Agbu Kefas won the election with 255,317 votes, ” he alleged.
The PDP supporters added that the INEC State Returning Officer should announce the result as collated and any party not satisfied with it should go to the Election Petition Tribunal and challenge the result as the INEC National Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood did during the collation of Presidential Election on February 25.
The PDP supporters accused the Residence Commissioner REC Alh. Umar Muktar Gajiram and the INEC State Collation/Returning Officer Prof. Muhammed Ahmad Abdullaziz for taking side with Prof. Sani Yahaha of (NNPP) and attempting interference in the final announcement of the Taraba State governorship result won by Col. Agbu Kefas of the PDP, warning that any attempt to disrupt the announcement of the result may lead to anarchy.
Another PDP supporters, Hon. Eric UJ Yohana insisted that Agbu Kefas won the election in Taraba with wide margins defeating the NNPP with 53, 233 margin, leaving APC trailing behind with a margin of 111,851
“PDP lost election to NNPP and APC in some local governments and we did not protest. Even in places like Ibi, Ussa, Gassol, we did not raise eyebrows and we are not bothered because we won the governorship election and any attempt to rig will be suicidal.
“So why is INEC delaying over announcing our victory? We are not going anywhere, we will stay here till PDP is declared winner, as their name implies, we expect INEC to have their Independent mind and be neutral.”