By Peter Onyekachukwu 
From Peter Onyekachukwu, Kano
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano State has rejected the outcome of the Ghari/Tsanyawa State Assembly re-run election, alleging manipulation and collusion between politicians and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Addressing journalists in Kano, the state chairman, Comrade Hashimu Sulaiman Dungurawa, accused INEC of denying electorates their rights by declaring the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate winner of the poll.
Dungurawa said the election was meant to hold in 10 polling units nullified by the Court of Appeal, but alleged that INEC cancelled results from those units and reverted to earlier results already faulted by the court.
“In Ghari Local Government, the re-run was conducted peacefully at the 10 polling units, but through manipulation by some unpatriotic politicians who connived with INEC officials, the APC candidate was declared winner,” the NNPP chairman alleged.
The party also faulted INEC for announcing the result at its state headquarters in Kano rather than at the constituency collation centre, claiming the move created room for manipulation.
It vowed to continue resisting what it described as injustice, favoritism and electoral fraud, insisting that presiding officers had already signed polling unit results that should have been upheld.
However, the NNPP hailed the outcome of the Shanono/Bagwai bye-election, where its candidate was declared winner, describing the process as transparent and credible.
Dungurawa praised security agencies for ensuring an enabling environment during the Shanono/Bagwai poll and commended voters for turning out in large numbers to support the NNPP.
“We salute the courage of our people who stood with us and voted for the NNPP candidates in all the re-run and bye-elections,” he said.