PDP sweeps Adamawa LG polls, opposition alleges electoral fraud

Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State have been declared winners of all but one of the 277 seats contested in Saturday’s local council elections in Adamawa State.

The ruling party’s comprehensive electoral victory gave it all the 21 chairmanship seats and 255 of the 256 councillorship seats.

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) picked the odd councillorship seat in Demsa Local Government Area, as the elections followed a national pattern of the ruling party in a state sweeping council polls.

The Adamawa elections were conducted on Saturday by the state’s electoral commission.

A day after the polls, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri swore in the new local government chairpersons in Yola, the state’s capital, on Monday.

Speaking at the event, Mr Fintiri congratulated the elected council chairpersons, describing their victories as well-deserved.

“To whom much is given much is expected, therefore, work for the people and be open to them as the era of absenteeism is gone. Always endeavour to be there for your people.

“This is not a part time job. As the leader of a tier of government close to the people, they must have access to you as much as possible at all times,” NAN quoted the governor saying.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and some other opposition parties in the state boycotted the polls.

Earlier in June, the state secretary of the APC, Raymond Chidama, announced that the APC would not participate in the election, alleging that the state electoral commission, ADSIEC, was made up of PDP members.

Also, the spokesperson of the SDP in the state, Ibrahim Karlahi, said it boycotted the election on the advice of its leader in the state, Umar Ardo.

Mr Karlahi also cited the composition of the electoral body for his party’s decision.

“Virtually the appointed chairman and all members of the state electoral commission are registered members of the PDP. In fact, the chairman of the commission is a relative to the governor,” the SDP scribe alleged.

The party said local government elections in the state are a charade where results are declared without election.

The SDP cited the previous local government election in April 2022 where the ADSIEC under its then chairperson, Isa Shettima, declared all the PDP candidates as the winners.

Both the APC and the SDP participated in those elections.

Mr Karlahi said no elections were held as materials were not taken to any polling unit, adding that the governor handpicked all the chairmanship candidates of the PDP that were declared winners of the polls.