PDP faults Gombe LG poll, alleges lack of transparency

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State has strongly condemned the recently concluded local government elections, labeling the exercise a "mockery of democracy" and alleging a severe lack of transparency. The opposition party, which boycotted the polls, also voiced criticism against Governor Inuwa Yahaya's administration for recent demolitions of structures and the expulsion of Gombawa Motors from a motor park.

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On the just-concluded Local Government Council elections, the PDP in Gombe State described the exercise as a mockery of the sensitivities of the people of Gombe State and lacking in transparency. The so-called election conducted by GOSIEC failed to mobilise opposition parties to participate in the exercise.

The PDP's stance, detailed in a statement by Public Relations Officer Abdulkadir-Ahmad Dukku, highlighted that the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC) declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) victorious in all 11 chairmanship and 114 councillorship seats. The party asserted that the election process did not meet democratic standards, describing it as "child's play" where ballot boxes were not even distributed to polling units.

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The Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State boycotted the election, describing it as a child’s play where ballot boxes were not taken to polling units, a repetition of the kangaroo 2024 Local Government Council elections under the leadership of Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s APC government in Gombe State.

Beyond the election, the PDP accused the state government of undermining democratic principles through ongoing demolitions. The party deemed these actions "immoral and a gross abuse of democratic principles and the Nigerian Constitution." It warned that the demolitions create tension between the government and residents and criticized alleged "vulgar utterances" by the governor, stating they violate fundamental human rights and democratic governance principles.

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The Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State wishes to express its position over the actions of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya and the APC government in Gombe State, which we consider immoral and a gross abuse of democratic principles and the Nigerian Constitution.

The PDP also condemned the expulsion of Gombawa Motors from the Dankwambo Mega Motor Park, asserting the action was politically motivated. The party urged the governor to uphold the rights and dignity of all citizens.

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Such vulgar utterances violate the fundamental right to the dignity of the human person, as well as the principles of democratic governance.