PDP rejects results in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, others

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, rejected the results of presidential and National Assembly elections  conducted at the weekend in seven states of the federation.
At a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, deputy national chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, disclosed that the national working committee of the ruling party had petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  over alleged electoral malpractices in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, Katsina and Kogi states.
Secondus alleged that in the seven states, the under age were allowed to vote in contravention of the Electoral Act, while he further alleged that voting took place late in the night in the affected states.
Secondus said: “In Kano and some of these states in the North, majority of voters were under-age. Voting also took place in the night and you know that in the night rigging can take place.
“We have completed our reports from Kano State chapter.”
The deputy national chairman of the ruling party expressed concern that in Gombe State where Boko Haram terror group attacked three local councils when results were being collated, the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was eventually declared as winner.
At a separate briefing in Abuja, Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode restated his claim that the party’s presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was coasting home to victory.
Fani Kayode said Dr  Jonathan was ahead of his main rival and APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari “by at least two to three million votes.”
He also warned that the PDPPCO would not accept any results not favourable to President Jonathan.
Fani Kayode said:”We wish to take this opportunity to make it clear to the Nigerian public that according to the figures made available to us, we are ahead in the presidential elections by at least two to three million votes.
“We have our own Situation Room and we have collated all our figures from the various polling booths, wards, local government areas and states in the Federation.
“Despite the propaganda of the opposition, we are confident of victory.  “They and all other stakeholders can be rest assured that we will accept nothing less than the announcement of an election result that is truthful and that reflects the true will of the Nigerian people.
“Any attempt to manipulate figures or to rig us out from any quarter  will be firmly resisted.”
Asked by reporters whether his open declaration of Dr Jonathan as the leading candidate was not an open defiance to INEC national chairman, Professor Attahiru  Jega’s admonition that contending parties should defer to the electoral body on outcome of the elections, the former Aviation Minister declared that he was relying on his sources which he noted were credible.
“ Ask Professor Jega, whether it is true or not that PDP agents were there by law in every polling units across the country.
“Our agents know how to transmit figures to us.
“So, our source is credible and I expect INEC chairman to be aware of that because we have our process of cross-checking figures.
“Any attempt to present figures that isn’t in conformity with the expectations of Nigerians will be resisted. There are forces, bent on frustrating the process and ensuring that their candidate is announced.
“We are very confident and we await the results.