The All Progressives Congress, APC candidate in Saturday’s House of Representatives election for Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency, Abdulmumini Jibril has congratulated his opponent, Datti Yako of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who won the poll.
In a statement late Sunday, Jibrin said :”I have therefore accepted the outcome of the elections and wish to congratulate my opponent Aliyu Datti Ahmed who will continue from where I started about a decade ago and has now come to an end.
“I look forward to working closely with him and giving him whatever cooperation and assistance to settle down in his new role of representing our people. I do not intend to file petition against his declaration as winner. It is time to move on”.
He however alleged that his constituents who came out en mass to exercise their civic responsibility were denied their franchise to vote the candidate and party of their choice through the application of maximum force in all the wards of the constituency except his home town, Kofa in Bebeji which proved impenetrable.
“We know we won the election fairy and squarely but our mandate was stolen,” he said.
According to him, elections did not take place in many units as ballot boxes were allegedly diverted and scores were entered.
“The violence, thuggery and rigging that took place have been carefully documented, at least for posterity. I have strong reservations about the outcome of the elections. However, INEC has announced my opponent as the winner of the election.
“Police, other security agencies and voters can bear witness to the fact that the electoral umpire announced the result not because my opponent had scored the majority of lawful votes.
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