The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State has accused the State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of planning to rig the local government election in favor of the ruling PDP. The APC made the allegation during an emergency press conference, claiming that BASIEC had failed to provide adequate election materials and had planned to announce election results while voting was still in progress.
The APC also claimed that they were unaware of the identities of the presiding officers, collation officers, and returning officers for the election, despite serving the commission with an official demand letter. The party called on BASIEC to conduct a transparent, free, and fair election that reflects the will of the people of Bauchi State.
In response, a chieftain of the Bauchi PDP, Abdullahi Mato, described the allegation as baseless and unfounded. He attributed the APC’s claims to fear of defeat, citing the PDP’s developmental projects across the state. Another PDP chieftain, Abubakar Musa, also dismissed the APC’s allegations, saying that the PDP had no need to rig the election and that the APC was simply trying to gain sympathy.
The accusations and counter-accusations highlight the tension and mistrust between the two parties ahead of the local government election in Bauchi State. The election is seen as a test of the popularity of the two parties in the state, and the outcome could have implications for future elections.
