The Independent National Electorate Commission (INEC)
has postponed Kano State House of Assembly by-election
for Minjibir Local Government indefinitely.
The postponement followed eruption of violence in some
polling units within Minjibir town hours into the election,
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered.
Our correspondent gathered that the election turned
violent after some thugs snatched ballot boxes at some
polling units in the town.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Abdullahi
Adamu Kaugama, announced the postponement.
Kaugama, who was deployed to Kano from Kaduna State
to conduct the by-election in the state, said the law has
empowered the commission to postpone any election
where there is crisis.
“Election materials were snatched from our staff and
vital papers torn by political thugs in some polling units
across Minjibir town and there is no way we can continue
with election in this kind of situation,” he said.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa
Magaji Majia, said there was no loss of life, but that two
people were injured.
Majia also confirmed arrest of some political thugs,
saying details would be made public tomorrow.
When contacted, the state Interim Chairman of the All
Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas,
described the situation as unfortunate and wondered why
INEC postponed the election.
He said: “According to the report we received from our
agents, the crisis affected only four poling units within
Minjibir town out of the 36 polling units in the whole
local government.”
He added that since the election was peaceful in majority
of the polling units, the commission should have allowed
the poll to continue.
Also reacting, the Public Relations Officer of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Alhaji Musa
Danbirni, said the postponement of the by-election has
vindicated PDP.
He said: “They said we don’t have supporters in Kano but
they could not allow a by-election to hold in just one
local government because they foresaw defeat. I have
confidence that the PDP will win the election because
Minjibir is our stronghold.”
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