Ex-Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina says the local government elections held in the state on Monday was a charade.
Shema who described the municipal election as “a sad testimony” said incumbent Governor Aminu Masari and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state wrote the results of the election.
Shema, while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the elections, said the outcome of the election was predetermined.
He said, “They are holding the result sheets to return to the Government House to meet Aminu Bello Masari and his cohorts to fill these forms and tell Nigerians that election has been conducted.”
He disclosed that that no local government election had been conducted in Katsina since Masari became governor, recalling that Masari dissolved the elected executives in the 34 local government areas.
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“This is not an election. This is a sham. It’s a shame on APC nationwide and a shame internationally that they can’t hold a common local government election,” said Mr Shema. “The unconstitutional action by Governor Masari’s administration was challenged in court. The matter even went up to the Supreme Court and the governor lost.”
The ex-Katsina governor noted that though Masari directed the conduct of the elections for the local governments, he “only nominated the people who would be chairmen and councillors.”
Shema asserted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would challenge the local government election results in court.