ADC aspirant Tofa rejects Plateau Reps primary result, alleges manipulation

 A House of Representatives aspirant for the Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Sanusi Yakubu Tofa, has rejected the declaration of Jamilu Lawandi Datti as winner of the party’s primary election, alleging manipulation and political interference in the process.

Speaking during a media chat in Jos, Plateau State, Mr Tofa described the outcome of the primary election as “bad political manipulation,” which he alleged was orchestrated by former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung.

Mr Tofa said that as a registered member of the party and a duly screened aspirant, he could not accept what he described as irregularities surrounding the conduct and outcome of the exercise.

According to him, the primary election was conducted in the constituency, but the rival aspirant and his agents were absent during the process.

“After the screening, I was informed that the primary election would hold. On the day of the election, we were present, but the other aspirant was nowhere to be found, including his agents. We won the election,” he said.

The aspirant explained that party election officials reportedly arrived at various wards at about 5:00pm during the exercise, while ward chairmen supervised the voting process and later submitted the results to the party’s state secretariat.

He, however, alleged that the Plateau State chairman of the ADC, Dawen Pam, who he claimed was imposed by Dalung, later cancelled the election without justification.

“Now, the chairman of ADC, who was imposed by Solomon Dalung, Dawen Pam, cancelled the election for no justifiable reason,” Tofa alleged.

He further stated that after the cancellation, his camp wrote to the party leadership seeking clarification but received no response.

According to him, another primary election was subsequently ordered by the party leadership, and despite what he described as the absence of party officials and the rival aspirant, his camp still emerged victorious.

“The chairman ordered for another election. Because of the confidence we had, we participated again, even though the party election officials, and even the other aspirant were not present. We still won the election, even in Bassa LGA, and we have our records,” he said.

Mr Tofa expressed surprise that Jamilu Lawandi Datti was eventually declared winner of the primary election two days later.

“After all, two days later, they declared him winner of the election,” he added.

The aspirant called on the national leadership of the ADC to urgently intervene in the matter and restore what he described as his mandate.

“We are calling on the national secretariat of the party to intervene, otherwise the law will take its course,” he stated.

“The law is above everybody. I am a law-abiding citizen and I believe the law will look into the matter and restore my mandate,” he added.