From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

The Kaduna State of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm, asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare its candidate, Mohammed Isah Ashiru, as the winner of the governorship election conducted in the state.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, the state Chairman of PDP, Felix Hassan Hyat, told INEC to declare the party’s candidate winner without further delay.

Hyat noted that the delay to declare the candidate of the PDP as the winner of the election was a ploy to deny the people who should govern them.

He urged the electoral umpire to make use of the authentic results in its server to announce the winner, adding that, “any attempt to change or doctor results will be viewed as a deliberate act to deny the people their right to freedom of choice”.

INEC resumed results collation on Sunday and was still collating on Monday as of the time of this report, having announced results from 22 out of the 23 LGAs of the State.

However, PDP Chairman said, “It has become very necessary to address you this evening on the continuous delay of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the winner of the Gubernatorial election held last Saturday, 18th March 2023.

“The PDP views this as a deliberate plan to deny the PDP and the good people of Kaduna State the right of choice of who should govern us

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“I strongly call on INEC to without further delay, declare Rt. Hon. Mohammed Isah Ashiru elected Governor of Kaduna State using the authentic results in its server, any attempt to change or doctor results
will be viewed as a deliberate act to deny the people their right to freedom of choice.

“While thanking the good people of our dear State for their patience, support and confidence in the great PDP, I wish to assure you of our determined efforts to protect and defend every vote you gave us.

“Kindly remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding while we await INEC’s immediate action.”

Also speaking in the same vein, at the press conference along with the PDP state chairman, a chieftain of the PDP, Senator Shehu Sani, alleged that the delay by INEC in announcing the winner of the governorship election in Kaduna State would further rob INEC of its credibility in the eye of Kaduna people who had voted massively for the PDP candidate.

According to him, the PDP had won the Senatorial election in all the 3 zones in Kaduna State and had 10 members of the House of Representatives, leaving the APC with only 4.

He wondered how the APC would claim victory in the governorship election.

“For a state with only 23 local government areas; it’s unfortunate that INEC in Kaduna will continue to postpone the announcement of this result,” he said.

“Now it’s only one Local Government and it’s the Local Government of the gubernatorial candidate (Kudan). It was the Local Government that we won and they were raising issues about it. Now they’ve gone to the Local Government to initiate a new collation of 2 wards which they said was attacked by thugs,” he alleged.