Governor Bago’s APC Wins All 25 Council Areas In Disputed Niger State Election
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has swept all 25 local government chairmanship positions in the just-concluded local government election, a poll already generating controversy across the state.
The Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) on Monday declared that the APC won in all the council areas, including Minna, Bida, Kontagora, Suleja, and Lapai. The announcement follows Saturday’s election, which was marred by reports of violence, ballot snatching, and allegations of vote manipulation.
The results were officially announced by NSIEC Chairman, Aminu Baba, who described the election as “peaceful and credible,” despite widespread complaints from opposition parties and civil society observers.
According to Baba, the APC candidates “emerged victorious after meeting all legal requirements,” adding that certificates of return would be issued to the winners immediately.
However, opposition parties including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Labour Party (LP) have rejected the outcome, alleging massive irregularities, intimidation of voters, and manipulation of results in favour of the ruling party.
In a joint statement, the opposition parties said the poll “was a sham and a direct assault on democracy,” calling for the cancellation of the results and the resignation of the NSIEC chairman.
Residents in parts of Niger State, particularly in Mokwa and Magama, also took to the streets to protest what they described as a “stolen mandate.” The protests turned violent in some areas, with reports of clashes between security operatives and angry youths.
Governor Umar Mohammed Bago, reacting to the development, congratulated the winners and commended the electorate for “reaffirming their trust in the APC-led government.” He urged the newly elected chairmen to “justify the confidence reposed in them by delivering tangible development to the grassroots.”
Meanwhile, rights groups and election observers have called for an independent review of the electoral process, citing discrepancies between voter turnout and official figures released by NSIEC.
The Niger local government election marks yet another controversy in Nigeria’s troubled democratic process, as debates continue over the independence of state electoral commissions and the fairness of subnational elections.