The Allied Peoples Movement is seeking the cancellation of the Kogi State Governorship election held on November 16 for what it termed the exclusion of its candidate, Yusuf Mamman Danielle from the ballot.
The party in a letter written to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu and signed by Joseph Oluwarotimi Ojo, of Rotimi Ojo & Co, Solicitors and Advocates, dated November 20, is asking for the voiding of the already conducted Kogi State Governorship election within three days of receipt of its letter and conduct of a fresh election with the full inclusion of APM Governorship Candidate.
According to the letter written to INEC, the party would be seeking legal redress in the tribunal if INEC does the contrary, insisting that the alleged exclusion of APM has denied the candidate the adequate preparation to attend all activities before the election, canvas for votes, nominate and submit names of polling agents, an action that caused active and imputed exclusion of APM from the election.
The letter pointed out that following the treatment meted to the candidate, and in clear disobedience to the court orders to include the name of the party’s candidate, the commission denied the candidate from participating in all activities leading to the election, stressing that, little wonder that 01 votes was allocated to APM in some registration areas.
The letter insisted that the inclusion of the name of the APM candidate and logo which was allegedly written in handwriting on the summary results sheets from registration areas and collation centres at the local government level was an afterthought.
The letter observed that INEC failed to make provision for agents at polling units as required by law.
The INEC, had before the Kogi State Governorship election, disqualified the APM candidate and party for fielding an underage deputy governorship candidate.
The party according to the letter was said to have been denied the right for substitution even within the stipulated window period.