Embattled Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has said he has appealed the FCT Election Tribunal that sacked him from office on Friday.
Recall that, during the sitting Friday in Abuja, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Muninat Folashade Oyekan, the Secretary of the tribunal, Bala Ahmed Ndajiwo and member of the tribunal, Kimi Livingstone, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Murtala Karshi, polled 21, 000 votes, while Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 19, 000 votes.
However, shortly after the judgement, in a statement jointly signed by the Chief Press Secretary, Ephraim Audu, and the Senior Special Assistant on Media, Kingsley Madaki, respectively, Maikalangu called on residents of the council, especially, supporters of the PDP, to remain calm and not take laws into their hands as his legal team has already appealed the matter in a competent court.
The statement reads: “Following the judgment at the FCT Election Tribunal today, the leadership of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has renounced the judgment passed in favour of the APC, alleging manipulation and manufacture of ghost votes against the ones that was legitimately announced after the February 12th elections which to us, is an embarrassment to Nigerian the judiciary.
“Shortly after the judgement, the Council Chairman, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu called on residents of the council, especially, supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to remain calm and not take laws into their hands following the judgment at the election tribunal as his legal team has already appealed the matter on a competent court.
“The call is against the backdrop of violent celebrations by supporters of the APC, who flooded some parts of the city centre and AMAC Secretariat defacing posters of the PDP and barricading entrances of the AMAC Secretariat, chanting provocative, brandishing dangerous implements in the guise of their tribunal victory.
“In addition, the leadership saw the wisdom to forestall any breakdown of law and order in the council and across the nation.
“In a shocking arithmetic conundrum conjured in connivance with some government officials, the February 12 election which Hon Christopher Zakka Maikalangu won the election with a total votes of 19,302 votes, while Mr Usman Karshi secured 13,249 vote.
“It appalling that the table turned at the tribunal allocating over 21, 000 votes to PDP’s challenger, Mr Murtala Karshi, with the current AMAC Chairman Zakka still maintaining 19, 000 votes.
“According to Madaki, the judgment appeared to be completely biased and against the will of the people, who came out en mass in the AMAC chairmanship election on February 12 to vote for the candidate of their choice.
“The media aide stated it wondered where and how the judge got the votes he allocated to the opposition contender.
“He said that it is obvious that some people are head bent on taking over power in AMAC by all means, using whatever means they believe would give them victory against the will and desires of AMAC residents.”
The statement added: “The judgment of today is completely unacceptable. We cannot call that a judgment, because it was one-sided, with a clear picture of being manipulated.
“We cannot allow such judgment to stand, because there was no clear basis for such a judgment to be given in the first place.
“The present Chairman of AMAC, Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, had a landslide victory during the election with wide margins.
“So, I wonder where the Judge got his record from that Murtala Karshi won the election. The tribunal judgment is a farce to the judiciary, which the common people depend on.
“There is no way such a judgment should be allowed to stand because it completely subverted the will of the people, which they exhibited by voting for their chosen candidate during the FCT area council election.
“So, I am appealing to residents of AMAC and PDP supporters to stay calm and be prayerful, because it is only God that gives power and by the grace of God, we will appeal the judgment and get the justice we deserve.”
