The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Sokoto State, has advised the opposition party in the State, All Progressive Congress (APC), to accept the outcome of the election and the popularity of its candidate.
The party also disclosed that with the victory of the PDP in the State is to set the state free of godfatherism, as the popular Alu Phenomenon has finally collapsed.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary in the State, Abdullahi Yusuf Hausawa, and make available to Journalists on Wednesday in Sokoto, where it also appreciate the role of media in the just concluded elections.
According to Hausawa, “On behalf of Peoples Democratic Party, Sokoto State Chapter, we wish to sincerely express our gratitude to your media organization for the support and coverage throughout the electioneering period.
“You are all living witness of the harassment and intimidation of our supporters and sympathizers throughout the period of re-run election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which the outcomes give victory to our party, and its candidate, Rt. Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR, Mutawallen Sakkwato.
“We wish to express our gratitude to Allah (SWT) on the victory bestowed on us with a margin of 342 votes.
“We want to put it on record that a candidate will be regarded as duly elected into the Office of Governor of the State where he has the highest number of votes cast at the election. Thus the constitution is explicit about the winner of the election, quoting Section 179 (2) of the constitution.
“Even though we have won the election based on the first result announced by the INEC during the 9th March, 2019 gubernatorial election, the opposition insisted that INEC must declare the elections inconclusive, we take solace and accept it as the will of Allah.
“With the declaration of the election as inconclusive as a favour to the opposition APC, the party use the period to garner the support of neighbouring states and source over five billion naira through the treasuries of two states of Zamfara and Kebbi as well as some selected Federal Government Agencies.
“These monies were used to facilitate the vote-buying spree of up to thirty thousand naira and a bag of rice per vote, which is unprecedented in the history of elections not only in Sokoto state but in the whole country.
“The vote buying phenomenon created and started by the APC, a party claiming to be fighting corruption further testified to the fact that the APC and its government is aiding and abetting corruption up to the grassroots level.
“The unsubstantiated outright rigging by PDP as claimed by the opposition APC, the question here is who rigged who? With the massive deployment of ten units of Mobile Police from Niger, Kebbi, Zamfara, Lagos states and FCT, and in addition to about 250 DSS Personals in favour of APC, in order to harass, intimidate and instil fear in the minds of peaceful and good people of Sokoto state
“There is no way our party can even attempt to rig an election in which we have confidence that by the will of Allah, the victory is ours.
“This is notwithstanding hiring of political thugs from the neighbouring states of Kebbi and Zamfara, publicly brandishing their dangerous weapons to endanger the lives of the innocent voters in Kebbe, Tambuwal, Rabah, Tureta and Goronyo Local Governments.
“With the PDP and its candidate’s victory, the ‘ALU PHENOMINON’ has finally been demystified and given final befitting burial by the people of this great State”.
The party, however, appeal to its supporters to remain calm and peaceful, saying no amount of lies or propaganda can change the will of the people.