David Akachukwu
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The Kaduna State Government has affirmed that the upcoming Saturday bye-elections in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, as well as in the Sabon Gari and Zaria state constituencies, will be held strictly in line with the electoral guidelines set by INEC.
The government emphasized that any efforts aimed at disrupting the electoral process will be met with firm legal consequences.
Reacting to claims made by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) coalition, the state dismissed the allegations of planned interference in the electoral process as unfounded. It referred to these accusations as “laughable lies” from individuals described as “political leftovers” of a past administration.
Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, ADC’s National Vice Chairman (North-West), had earlier accused the current administration under Governor Uba Sani of orchestrating plans to rig the elections in Chikun/Kajuru, Zaria, and Sabon Gari. According to him, the tactics allegedly include deploying hired thugs, bribing electoral officials, and engaging in vote buying.
The coalition further urged INEC to publicly reaffirm its impartiality and take immediate action to remove any officials suspected of being compromised. They called for the swift replacement of such personnel with unbiased electoral and technical staff to maintain the integrity of the process.
During a press conference, Ahmed Maiyaki, the Commissioner for Information-designate, dismissed the coalition’s statements as groundless and politically motivated. He claimed the opposition is attempting to tarnish the process in anticipation of their loss, saying they are aware of their unpopularity and are simply preparing excuses.
Maiyaki also pointed to what he described as low turnout at the coalition’s recent rallies, claiming it reflects their lack of public support. He said the opposition was fabricating crises to cushion the impact of their expected defeat at the polls.
Further allegations from the coalition included claims that plots of land were being offered to high-ranking INEC officials as incentives, and that a “disgraced former senator” known for involvement in electoral violence was allegedly managing funds for vote buying and manipulation of security arrangements. They demanded that INEC remove any compromised staff and called on security agencies to uphold their integrity and resist any pressure to influence the election outcome.
They also called for legal action against the Commissioner for Local Government and others they accused of hiring individuals to interfere with the electoral process.
In response, Maiyaki clarified that the state government has no involvement in organizing elections, which remains the sole responsibility of INEC. He accused the opposition of dragging the administration into what he termed their “self-inflicted political misery.”
“We will not sit idly by while political opportunists smear the name of our administration and malign innocent officials with wild, unsubstantiated claims. Government lawyers have been directed to study the allegations for possible legal action,” he explained.
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Jonathan Nwokpor
