By Idris Khalid
A staunch member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi, Alhaji Bibi Dogo has described the party’s alleged electoral fraud by opposition political parties in the state as mischievous and an act of cowardice.
He also debunked the alleged violence at the polls as well as plan by the PDP to marginalize Bauchi State Local Government election by the party’s surrogates as fabrication.
Dogo, in an interview with Journalists in Bauchi on Sunday, said “For the last thirteen years no Local Government Elections in Bauchi State, except with the coming of this administration of Governor Bala Mohammed”.
Alhaji Bibi Dogo explained however that despite the lean resources at the disposal of the state coffers, the governor decided to conduct free and fair election and fixed 17th October this year for the polls.
Dogo wondered how for greedy and self-centered political opponents of the Governor always want to spread false rumors for the simple fact of satisfying their whims and caprices.
The PDP top notcher therefore advised Security agents to live to their responsibilities of protecting lives and properties of the citizens by putting these greedy politicians on their watch list.
Dogo further explained that Governor Bala Mohammed decided to conduct Local Governments election in the best interest of democracy, save the councils from underdevelopment and to bring an end the era of appointment of caretaker committees at LGA.
He also dismissed the claims of planned vote-rigging by the PDP during the councils, saying it is a deliberate claim to discredit and destabilize the election process ahead of the polls.
Dogo, who was apparently reacting to a statement credited to Faruk Mustapha of the All Progressives Congress (APC), called on the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) to save the state from any violent act that may jeopardice the forthcoming local government councils election in the state.
He asked SIEC to strive to maintain neutrality, be impartial in the conduct of the elections and declare results at the polling units in each of the wards and in the presence of all stakeholders.
