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Labour’s Ireti Kingibe fumes as INEC cancels Bwari senatorial results to upend her lead

Ms Kingibe alleged manipulation after INEC cancelled the results in the area council for over voting.

• February 28, 2023
Ireti Kingibe and INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu
Ireti Kingibe and INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu

Ireti Kingibe, the senatorial candidate of the Labour Party in the FCT, was coasting home to victory in a landslide before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled results from the Bwari Area Council.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Ms Kingibe, who had defeated three-term Senator Taminu Aduda of PDP in a landslide to win the seat, alleged manipulation after INEC cancelled the results in the area council for over voting.

“All the result sheets show that there was no over voting at the polling units, so how would you now cancel the whole area council?” She said.

Ms Kingibe argued that the development was uncalled for, stating that an error from presiding officers, who wrote the results, should not amount to a declaration that it was over voting.

The seemingly heartbroken candidate claimed that the opposition parties bribed the electoral officials during the presidential and National Assembly elections last Saturday. 

Ms Kingibe alleged that “Millions and millions have been bribed in this place; even up to million dollars have been put into this place. They’re trying to take the seat, and it’s not going to happen.”

She accused the commission of tampering with results from polling units where the Labour Party won to favour the opposition.

“All the results sheets show there was no over voting in any of the polling units. So, why cancel the result of the entire area council? We have watched them.

“We are not going to watch them, and we are not standing for this rubbish. Everywhere they cancelled all the polling units where we’re strong,” Ms Kingibe said.

According to her, some thugs destroyed result sheets at the Gwarinpa Collation Centre, including those of the presidential elections.

The electoral body also cancelled senatorial results for Abaji Area Council for over voting.

This followed objections by representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Per the declared results for the presidential election held the same day with the National Assembly polls, Labour had a commanding lead across the FCT.

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