The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State has rejected the results of the recent local government election, calling the process flawed and pledging to pursue legal action.
During a press conference held on Saturday at the APC secretariat in Jos, the party’s state chairman, Rufus Bature, criticized the conduct of the election, labeling it the worst in the state’s history and stating that the APC would not accept its outcome.
Bature alleged that critical electoral materials were either inadequate or entirely absent in areas considered to be APC strongholds. “Ballot papers were grossly insufficient, with some APC strongholds receiving only 10% to 20% of the required materials,” he said. He added that result sheets were withheld in certain areas, and numerous polling units were affected by malfunctioning voting machines, with some machines only functioning for two hours.
The APC chairman further claimed that elections were disrupted in some areas, and reports of ballot stuffing emerged in areas favorable to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). “This manipulation disenfranchised many voters,” Bature stated, adding that some returning officers allegedly absconded without following legal protocols for result collation.
Despite urging supporters to remain calm, Bature reassured them that the party would exhaust all legal avenues to challenge the election results and work to reclaim their mandates.