FCT polls: Gwagwalada SDP candidate heads to tribunal

The chairmanship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the March, 9, 2019 election in Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, has said he will challenge the declaration of the incumbent chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mustapha,  by INEC as winner of the council poll at the election petitions tribunal. Giri, while addressing newsmen after […]

The chairmanship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the March, 9, 2019 election in Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, has said he will challenge the declaration of the incumbent chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mustapha,  by INEC as winner of the council poll at the election petitions tribunal.

Giri, while addressing newsmen after the party’s stakeholders’ meeting at his residence in Giri on Saturday, said the decision to challenge the result of the chairmanship election was unanimous by the party’s stakeholders at the meeting.

He alleged that the election was marred by irregularities, and that card readers were not used in some polling units and uncollected voters cards were issued to some voters to cast votes on election day.

He further alleged that ballot boxes were snatched and stuffed by suspected thugs at some polling units.

“After intensive deliberations,  the party’s stakeholders have unanimously resolved that we are going to challenge the result of the election in which INEC declared APC winner of the chairmanship in Gwagwalada at the tribunal and I have already consulted my lawyers,” he said.

When contacted,  the special adviser on media and publicity to the chairman of the council,  Usman A.  Baba Lado,  said he will consult his boss for clearance before he will respond to the matter.

There was no response after several phone calls put across to him up till the time of filing the report.