Bauchi LG Polls: NNPP Threatens Boycott
…Says, there’s plan to deny opposition victory
BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Bauchi State chapter has said that except assurances of fairness is given for the conduct of the scheduled October Local Government Councils election in the State, it would boycott the exercise.
Caretaker Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Yusuf Musa Gumli, who stated the position of the party at an interactive session with newsmen on Sunday, said that the party has lost confidence that justice will be done in the elections.
Gumli also alleged that the state Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Abdulrazak Nuhu Zaki has already pre-empted that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State will not allow any opposition party to win even a seat in the polls.
Gumli said; “I don’t think we are going to participate in that election because the party in power made us believe that there won’t be fairness. And I quote honourable Commissioner for Local Government saying sarcastically that they will be fair to opposition patties just as they were fair to them in other states.
“And we know that PDP lost in all the states that are not governed by their party. Definitely, that is what they are going to do for us. So, is like he is pre-empting the outcome of the election. So, why should we delve into what we know certainly is planned?”..
He also said the caretaker executives that include himself, will conduct election of new leaders within the next three months.
The NNPP won only one State House of Assembly seat in Bauchi State during the 2019 general election by winning the Bauchi Central Constituency through Jamilu Umaru Barade.
