ADC cancels primaries in four Nasarawa LGAs over irregularities

By Edwin Philip, Lafia

Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development and chairman of the electoral committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon. Solomon Dalung, has cancelled the guber primary election earlier conducted by the party in four Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State, following widespread irregularities, violence and other controversies.

Speaking to journalists in Lafia at the ADC Secretariat on Monday, he said the local government areas are Nasarawa, Doma, Toto and Karu, which have different challenges.

In Doma, no election was conducted; only written results were submitted, and agents confirmed they had no carbon copies.

“In Toto, the electoral officers reported being detained by unknown persons in Keffi from noon to 10 p.m. and later presented results obtained under those circumstances.

“In Nasarawa LGA, materials were distributed at a vigilante post, but the officer said he was not allowed to proceed and was later given the results.

“Violence preceded the election in Karu, and the party chairman was attacked. The electoral officer abandoned the process, and an unauthorised person later submitted results.”

Dalung explained that under ADC’s direct primary guidelines, two conditions must be met for results to be valid, including evidence of physical counting of party members and a corresponding result sheet.

Dalong said, “If there is no evidence of physical counting, direct primaries do not take place. The motto of the guidelines of the ADC said the electoral committee shall not recognise or accept any election where members of the party were not physically counted.

He, however, cited Section 10 of the Electoral Act, which states that unauthorised possession of electoral materials is an offence punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment or a fine of 10 million Naira.

The committee chairman said he had already tabulated the collated results from the nine LGAs and awaits the remaining four today.

He added that a full report detailing the irregularities will be submitted to the ADC National Secretariat after the primaries for further action.

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