Uproar in Zamfara as INEC writes APC with pen on result sheets

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to write the acronym of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the result sheets with pen in Zamfara state.

The commission had on Friday announced the omission of APC on the result sheets for Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections in the state.

The commission’s National Secretary, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony in a letter referenced INEC/SEC/265/Vol.1/X, dated March 8, had said the omission was as a result of the legal tussle that trailed the primaries of the APC in the state.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Asmau Maikudi, said they decided to write the APC acronym with pen, following a directive from Abuja.

A cross section of governorship candidates in the state expressed reservations on the development.

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Badamasi Bello, expressed reservations.

Also, the candidate of the Accord party, Bala Bello Maru said: “APC was not omitted during the presidential and national assembly elections. If INEC could produce result sheets with APC during the last elections in February, why now?

“We are very suspicious and we are uncomfortable with the situation,” he told our correspondent in Maru local government area of the state.

On his part, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muktar Shehu Idris, said the omission was discovered during the distribution of sensitive materials for the elections.

“It was a directive from the INEC headquarters, Abuja that the logo of APC be written by hands. It was an oversight and we took it in good faith, so far the laws allow it. Due process was followed,” he said in an interview in Gusau.