The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has rejected the election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mustapha Usman Shinkafi in the February 3, 2024, rerun polls, insisting the result will not see the light of the day in the election petition tribunal.
In a statement by new media aide to APC chieftain, Dr Sani Shinkafi, Alhaji Yariman Kwaren Ganuwa, in Abuja yesterday he said the election will not stand legally and morally.
“Please carefully read page 4 of the copy of the certified true copy of the judgment delivered by the National and State House of Assembly Tribunal for Zamfara State, holden at Sokoto, Sokoto State dated 21st day of September, 2023, and the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.
“You will come to the simple conclusion that the final election results were declared by the Returning Officer, is a clear violation of the Electoral Act 2022 and disregard for the rule of law, total rape of democracy and daylight robbery of the constitutional rights of the good people of Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State,” he said.
The statement recalled the result of the 18th March, 2023 Shinkafi state house of assembly elections declared as inconclusive by the courts in the judgment page 4 which showed that APC, scored 13,154 votes, while PDP, scored 12,914 votes.
It noted that the difference between the two candidates was 240 votes before the conduct of the rerun elections.
The statement said the results ought to be continued forward and merged with the rerun elections for final declaration.
It noted that in the rerun election result declared on 3rd February, 2024, the APC got 809 votes, while the PDP scored 951 votes, adding that the difference between the two is 142 votes.
The statement revealed that summary of the total scores for the parties and their candidates if merged by the state house of assembly returning officer the PDP could not be declared winner. The statement noted that the APC had scored 13,963 votes, while the PDP scored 13,865 votes in the earlier election held in 2023.
It therefore stated that the margin of lead by APC candidate Usman Aliyu Mahmud is 98 votes.
“We members of APC in Zamfara State stand with judgements of the two courts, not selection by INEC and its co-travellers in the subversion of the will of the people of Shinkafi Local Government Area.
“The good people of Shinkafi State Constituency should please remain calm. Another legal battle has just begun to reclaim our stolen mandate. Hon. Usman Shettima Mahmud Aliyu of APC remains the authentic winner of the election with the highest lawful votes. The ballot is sacrosanct. We are strongly determined to uphold and protect the integrity of the nation’s electoral process,” the statement reads.
Attached with the statement were copies of the judgment delivered by the Election Petition Tribunal and Court of Appeal Abuja Division, “for members of the public to read and know the truth about the rerun elections and declaration of the illegitimate winner of the election.”
