PDP criticizes Gombe LG elections, claims no fairness

The Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State has called the recent local government elections a "mockery" of democracy. They say the elections were not transparent and did not give opposition parties a fair chance.

The PDP, which did not participate in the election, also slammed Governor Inuwa Yahaya's administration for the recent demolition of structures across the state. They also mentioned the expulsion of Gombawa Motors from the Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo Mega Motor Park.

This was shared in a statement on Tuesday by Abdulkadir-Ahmad Dukku, the party's Public Relations Officer.

According to reports, the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission announced that the All Progressives Congress won all 11 chairmanship seats and the 114 councillorship positions in the local government elections.

The PDP said the election held by GOSIEC did not follow democratic standards. They said, "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 party explained that their decision to boycott the election was due to what they called widespread irregularities. They said, "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 elections, the PDP accused the state government of hurting democratic values with its ongoing demolition activities. They stated, "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 party claimed that the demolition of buildings has caused tension between the government and residents. They also criticized comments allegedly made by the governor in a viral video.

They urged the governor to protect the rights and dignity of all citizens, saying, "Such vulgar utterances violate the fundamental right to the dignity of the human person, as well as the principles of democratic governance."

The PDP also condemned the removal of Gombawa Motors from the Dankwambo Mega Motor Park. They said this action was politically motivated.

They added, "The PDP in Gombe State also frowns at the recent expulsion of Gombawa Motors from conducting its transport business at the Dankwambo Mega Motor Park as a result of exercising the organisation’s civic right as a transport service provider."

The party insisted that members of the transport company, being citizens of Gombe State, have the right to express their political views without fear and should be allowed to work freely at the state-owned motor park.

The PDP called on the state government to respect democratic values, ensure fairness, and uphold the rights of its citizens.