Labaran Maku rejected the outcome of Saturday's Nasarawa North senatorial by-election. The Labour Party candidate demanded that INEC cancel the exercise and conduct a fresh poll.
Maku addressed journalists at his home in Wakama on Sunday. He said the entire process was a "complete sham" that failed to reflect the people's wishes.
"What took place was a sham. Complete sham," the former Information Minister declared.
He noted that he'd consulted with party officials before making the decision to withdraw.
According to Maku, state government officials orchestrated the irregularities. He accused them of using INEC as a vehicle to allocate votes rather than conduct a genuine election.
Before the election, Maku had warned the public about rigging plots. He told reporters he'd repeatedly raised the alarm about government interference.
On the eve of polling, he alleged that presiding officers received threats. Officials warned them the state government "cannot be disgraced" and that voting wouldn't happen, Maku claimed.
Voting didn't take place in numerous locations across the senatorial district. Instead, only thumb printing occurred, according to his account.
In Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area, Maku listed affected wards. Nasarawa Eggon/Alizaga, Umme, and Alushi saw no actual voting, he said.
Akwanga LGA also experienced manipulation, according to the candidate. Agyaga and Ningo-Bohar wards, along with Gudi polling units, were affected.
Wamba LGA wasn't spared either. Multiple polling units in the area saw thumb printing instead of proper voting procedures, Maku claimed.
BVAS machines malfunctioned in strategic locations. His supporters in Akun Area Administrative Council were particularly disenfranchised, he alleged.
"In my areas and wards where they have no control, the machines deliberately failed," Maku noted. He suggested officials either tampered with devices or loaded insufficient data.
At Sabon Wakama and Angwan Tsoko, voters had to provide their own data. The machines stopped working after just one hour, Maku claimed.
When fingerprint recognition failed, election officials refused alternatives. Face recognition wasn't used despite being available, according to his account.
"They would just ask voters to go away," Maku stated. This prevented many people from casting their votes.
He urged INEC to conduct "free and fair" elections. Only then would the senatorial district get genuine representation, he insisted.
