Taraba: Atiku wants security officials replaced

 

                Former Vice President of Nigeria and one of the national leaders of the APC, Atiku Abubakar wants all INEC and security officials who compromised last Saturday governorship election in Taraba state replaced in the rerun election in the state.
               The former Vice President who lauded the decision by INEC to declare the governorship election in the state inconclusive said elections in the country should not be militarized as the nation was not in a dictatorship, but democracy.               
Atiku said that all those implicated in the scam in the state be removed and replaced with new personnel for peaceful conduct of the rerun election.
While expressing disappointment with the widespread reports of irregularities in some local governments of the state, he said “these irregularities included using armed personnel to intimidate voters.”
He alleged that armed soldiers were attached to Senator Emmanuel Bwacha; Joel Ikenya, a current minister; as well as Senator Anthony Manzo, chief of staff to senator David Mark, adding that these soldiers engaged in brazen acts that violated the electoral act including ballot-box snatching.
“Elections should not be militarized Nigeria is a democracy, not a dictatorship. Citizens should be able to go out and vote without fear of being threatened with nuzzle of a gun,” the former Vice President said.
According to him, these election violations were noticeably perpetrated in Southern Taraba, specifically in Wukari, Takum, Kurmi and Donga local councils and also in the North, particularly in Lau and Yoro where Manzo hails from.
Atiku noted that thousands of troops were deployed to these areas and electoral officers were heavily compromised.
He said further “These people should not be allowed to go back during the rerun election. No troops should be allowed nearby”.
Atiku also called on the Inspector General of Police to replace security personnel in Taraba with new teams from neighbouring Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa, during the period of the rerun elections.