The Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) on Wednesday, refused to issue a Certificate of Return to the chairman elected for Katcha local government council on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Danlami Abdullahi Saku.
ASHENEWS recalls that the commission, headed by Baba Aminu conducted chairman and councillorship elections for the 25 local government councils in the state.
ASHENEWS further recalls that the chairman of NSIEC, Aminu Baba had declared the candidate of the SDP as winner of the chairmanship seat of Katcha local council against the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Musa Isyaku.
However, when the Secretary of State Electoral Commission, Ibrahim Mohammed Maburya invited all chairmen-elect for their certificates of return, the SDP chairman-elect for Katcha was told that a re-run election had been scheduled in three wards of the local government.
In a protest letter, Barrister Ebunike Charles Ebuka appealed to Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello to prevail on the Chairman of the State Electoral body, to issue the certificate of return to Danlami Abdullahi Saku, having won Thursday November 10 Local Government elections conducted across the 25 local government elections in the state.
Captioned “Another Attempt To Subvert The Wish And Certificate of Return Of Social Democratic party (SDP), of Katcha Local Council Election Held On November 10th, 2022”, the letter reads:
“Your Excellency Sir, Social Democratic party (SDP) has won the local government council election held on the 10th November, 2022 and was declared winner by Alhaji Baba Aminu the chairman of Niger state Independent Electoral Commission.
“Upon the said declaration, our client was invited via a letter dated 15 November 2022 to come to the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission to receive his Certificate of Return on November 16 November 2022.
“The NSIEC chairman is about to throw your sense of equity, justice and fairness to all parties in the mud.
“In view of the above fact, we humbly crave the indulgence of of your Excellency to Immediately direct the chairman of the NSIEC to issue the certificate of return to (our client), SDP and suspend the NSIEC for his unconstitutional behavior at this trying moment of our democracy in Nigeria”, the letter stated.
