Returning officer delaying collation of Bauchi results, says REC

Ibrahim Abdullahi, resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Bauchi state, has blamed the delay in the collation of results  of the supplementary governorship election on the absence of Muhammed Kyari, the state returning officer.

Abdullahi spoke at the state collation center in the state capital, on Sunday.

He said all the collation officers for the 15 local government areas where the election held were on ground but the exercise could not commence without Kyari.

Abdullahi said the returning officer for the election was on his way back to Bauchi from Yola in Adamawa state.

He denied the reports that the commission was plotting to rig the exercise, hence the delay.

“Instead of sitting back in my office for the arrival of the returning officer who is on his way from Yola, I felt it is important to come and explain to you on why collation has not commenced,” he said.

“We have received all the results from the 15 local government areas but we were made to understand that the returning officer took off a bit late this evening… we have been seeing reports that INEC is plotting to change results. We are not an interested party in the outcome of the election. What is paramount for INEC is the processes and the procedure and not the outcome. We want to assure that INEC is just and fair to all. So we have to be patient and continue to wait until the arrival of the returning officer.”