In the political history of Kano, we have undergone the most horrific elections ever
where the ruling APC and Kano State Government deployed all mechanisms to
orchestrate violence against the citizens. Indeed, the good people of Kano state have
witnessed a broad daylight robbery of their mandate by the enemies of democracy.
It is with tremendous zeal and courage that we joined the 2019 Kano gubernatorial
contest, believing in the impartiality of the umpire – the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies, being on a mission to
restore the lost glory of our dear state from the hand of political predators who
destroy every meaningful programme and policies set by the previous administration
of Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
The deliberate disruption of results collation process in Nasarawa Local
Government, which led to the cancellation of Gama Ward, alongside numerous other
Polling Units across the 28 Local Government Areas and the appalling conduct of
the players in the sham called inconclusive Election, has raised huge doubts about
the professionalism of the security agencies and the effectiveness, credibility and
fairness of INEC as an organization as well as professionalism and neutrality of the security agencies.
We have written to INEC at the beginning of the exercise calling for the cancellation
of the ongoing rerun election, but the electoral body decided to shelve our request
and continue to the process in the rascal way. It was reliably gathered that most INEC
representatives were compromised by the Kano State Government
The declaration of a winner on the basis of the charade of 23rd March 2019 is most
unfortunate to say the least. A process scarred by reports of massive violence,
intimidation and financial inducement was sanctioned INEC officials and accepted
by security agencies as peaceful, particularly DIG Antony Michael who was brought
to Kano to usurp the role of the State Police Command, allowing thuggery to reign
while publicly certifying such horrible abuse of voters.
It is indeed saddening that the Commission abandoned the basic tenets of fairness
and allowed a process characterized by large-scale fraud such as thuggery, vote
buying and voter disenfranchisement sponsored by the ruling APC to be admitted
into the records of electioneering with a sole aim of favouring the incumbent
Governor.
Several independent organizations, International and Domestic observers, the local
and international media have reported massive violence, intimidation, harassment,
flagrant violation and abuse of electoral laws, in most of the polling stations PDP
agents were frightened away and denied access to their assigned polling units. Yet,
the INEC and its cronies turned blind eye to all the happenings and deemed this
charade as worthy of being accepted.
It is clear that the will of Kano people has been subverted, with the security agencies
as willing accomplices and the INEC representatives as enablers. The 23rd of March2019 blew a wind of sorrow for families that lost loved ones and those that sustained
various degrees of injuries. At this juncture, we want to sincerely express our
heartfelt sympathies to all those who suffered injustice in one way or the other during
the rerun elections.
The PDP in Kano is proud to be distinctly civil and uniquely peace-loving. We
condemn this fraud in its entirety. We have decided to take legal action through the
Election Petition Tribunal with overwhelming evidences that has been gathered, and
Insha Allah soonest the mandate of the good people of Kano state shall be reclaimed.
However, we urge the good people of Kano state and particularly our teaming
supporters to be patient and remain calm. Kano state is our only home. We have no
other place better than this noble state and no blood of any citizen is worth shedding.
Signed
Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa
Spokesperson to Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf
The PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, Kano State 2019
