…As Borno Central Senator-Elect Commends APC Stakeholders For Conducting Of Free, Fair, Peaceful Polls
By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri
Senator representing Borno South in the National Assembly, Ali Mohammad Ndume has said that Boko Haram attack in his hometown, Gwoza, on election day prevented many voters from casting their ballots.
Ndume in an interactive session with journalists on Wednesday at his residence in Maiduguriy said only about 20,000 out of the 137,000 registered voters, voted in last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
The senator, now elected for the fourth consecutive time, appreciated the confidence bestowed on him by the people of his constituency, promising that he will sustain delivery of dividends of democracy, even as he extended an olive branch to his opponents who could not make it in the keenly contested election.
In a related development, the senator-elect for Borno Central on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, has praised the people of Borno for voting for their choices in the last Saturday election.
He specifically described his opponent, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Barrister Mohammed Umara Kumalia, but lost out, as a serial failed-election petitioner, and that he is ready for any court case on the allegations that the elections were not conducted transparently and it was against the 2022 Electoral Act.
Barrister Lawan singled out President Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, the Shehu of Borno, Dikwa and Bama, as well as traditional and religious leaders, Borno APC Chairman, Hon Ali Bukar Dalori, all APC stakeholders, party members and supporters and concerned citizens
for praises for their unflinching support, which led to the peaceful and fair conduct of the election process.
Recall that on Tuesday, at a press briefing held at NUJ Press Centre in Maiduguri, Kumalia had outrightly rejected the results of the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections, citing electoral irregularities and refusal to upload results from the polling units to the BVAS and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s server/portal based on the 2022 Electoral Act guidelines.
Senator Ndume, while interacting with journalists said, “We have 137,000 registered voters in Gwoza council area, but less than 20,000 voted.”
He said that Boko Haram attacked the town while elections were ongoing, targeting a primary school, INEC office and another polling unit.
He however expressed satisfaction on the quick intervention by the military. He said that the military responded by firing back at the terrorists, which created the atmosphere for voting to continue.
He lauded the electorate for giving him the mandate to represent them for the fourth time, even as he called on those who could not make it to carry-the-cross in order to better the lives of Southern Borno people, irrespective of tribe, religion, political or ethnic sentiments.
He said, “I want to thank the miltary for their bravery. They told us to calm down and assured us they will clear Boko Haram within 30 minutes and it didn’t take them more than an hour. I think they should also be commended for the use of technology, which helped to get the location of Boko Haram on the hill.”
He equally commended the voters for their courage despite all odds, including the failure of the BVAS to work.
Reacting to the Maiduguri Monday Market fire incident, Ndume sympathised with the people. He lauded the steps taken by the state governor, Professor Babagana Zulum in responding to the disaster.
Similarly, the senator-elect for Borno Central, Lawan has praised the people of Borno for voting for their choices in the last Saturday election.
He assured that he will ensure all the raised issues that concern his people in the Senate are properly addressed.
He commended all APC stakeholders, INEC and the people of Borno Central for the confidence reposed in him to take over from the Vice President-elect, Senator Shettima, who ably and hitherto represented the zone in good faith.
Lawna also commended traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth/women groups and the entire supporters of the APC, who came out enmasse and voted him, assuring that their votes would never be in vien.
He added, “On this note, I described my opponent who contested on the platform of the PDP, Barrister Kumalia, as a serial failed-election petitioner, and that I am ready for him on any court case on the allegations that the elections were not conducted transparently as he alleged it was against the 2022 Electoral Act.”
He equally sympathised with the traders and buyers over the unfortunate fire disaster that took place last Sunday morning at the Maiduguri Monday Market which razed down many shops with goods worth billions of naira destroyed, promising that the unwholesome development would get neccessary assistance from all and sundry in mitigating the current hardship faced by victims.
