NRM’s Dansadau alleges non-delivery of result sheets in half of Zamfara polling units

* calls for cancelation of exercise

* allegations baseless – INEC, Police, APC

The National Rescue Movement (NRM) governorship candidate in Zamfara state, Senator Saidu Muhammad Dansadau, has alleged that result sheets were not delivered to more than half of the polling units in the state.

Speaking at a press conference in Gusau on Sunday, Dansadau said the ballot papers delivered in most of the polling stations were incomplete even as he alleged voters’ intimidation during the Saturday’s election in the state.

“As early as 12 noon, we complained at the INEC office in Gusau that there were no result sheets.

“I personally went to the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner and lodged a complaint. Even in my home town of Dansadau town, no result sheets were given”, he said.

Senator Dansadau said that security operatives beat up voters and electoral officials and many of the election materials got burnt.

“In Wonaka community and many other places, armed bandits were used to compel people to vote for the ruling party and they obliged for fear of the loss of their dear lives.

“Here in Gusau metropolis at the cinema, a polling unit’s election materials were burnt and some mutilated. Even in the domain of NRM, thugs were deployed by the Governor Abdulaziz Yari’s political allies and voters were intimidated and beaten,” he added

He said the electoral malpractices are coming despite the assurance from President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, the national chairman of the INEC and the head of security agencies that there would credible, free and fair elections.

He then called for the cancelation of the whole exercise in the state by the national headquarters of the INEC adding that the exercise was unacceptable to them.

However, the Head of Department, Voter Education and publicity by the INEC in the state, Garba Galadima described the allegations as baseless.

He said all stakeholders witnessed how the election materials were transparently distributed.

In their separate reactions to the allegations, the state police commissioner, Mr Celestine Okoye and the publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Alhaji Shehu Isah described the allegations as baseless and sheer lies.

Mr Okoye said there was no report of voter’s intimidation in any part of the state adding that the police were instructed to deal with trouble makers only.