The Bauchi Consolidated Youth Association, an umbrella body of about 26 youth groups in the state has jubilated over the declaration of the incumbent governor Bala Mohammed as re-elected for another four-year term.
The BCYA, reacting to the declaration of Bala as winner of the March 18th governorship election in the state, also took a swipe at opposition party candidate, Sadique Abubakar, saying his rejection of the election outcome was pedestrian and laughable.
The APC governorship candidate, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar (rtd) had alleged that the election was marred by violence in some local government areas of the state, intimidation of APC voters, ballot snatching and electoral fraud, calling for the cancellation of the election result.
Reacting to the allegation, BCYA, in a statement by its Coordinator, Lawal Sani Ningi, said it was borne of frustrated desperation to subvert the popular will of the people expressed freely and fairly in the most credible election ever conducted in the state.
“Recall that even the foreign and domestic observer groups accredited by INEC for Bauchi State have acknowledged that the exercise was free, fair and credible without intimidation, coercion or molestation,” Ningi said.
Refuting the allegation by the APC candidate that the governorship and State House of Assembly election was marred by violence, voter’s intimidation and ballot box snatching, Ningi said it was the usual ranting of defeated ambitions of people who clearly have no electoral value.
The BCYA declared that contrary to Abubakar’s lone rejection and spurious allegation, the election was conducted peacefully without any rancour.
The Group commended INEC for early distribution of adequate sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the election and arrival of electoral officials in most of the polling units in time.
BCYA also applauded the professional deployment of effective and efficient security arrangement which ensured the smooth peaceful conduct of the exercise across the state.
BCYA said elections commenced in all the polling units monitored by its members on record time minus isolated incidences of delay caused by difficult terrain in some places which were also overcome.
“There was impressive turnout of voters all over the state and the electorate freely cast votes for candidates of their choice with accreditation and voting was carried out simultaneously and on time without reports of any incident of intimidation or harassment anywhere,” Ningi said.
