INEC Declares APC Candidates Winners Of Bye-Elections in Bauchi, Kwara, Katsina

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Sunday, November 18th, 2018

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) the winners of the bye-elections which held Saturday in three different Federal constituencies including Bauchi, Kwara and Katsina States.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Ahmed Sarkin-Paggam, Sunday declared Alhaji Yusuf Nuhu as the winner of the Toro Federal Constituency, Bauchi State bye-election, having recorded a total of 27,337 votes to defeat his only opponent, Shehu Umar, of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 18,235 votes.

Reports said that only the APC and PDP fielded candidates for the elections.

Prof. Sarkin-Paggam announced that a total of 41,532 votes were cast, out of which 40,552 were valid and 970 votes invalid.

The seat became vacant when the member representing the constituency, Lawan Yahaya Gumau contested and won the Bauchi South Senate seat in a by-election held on August 11, 2018.

The Senatorial bye-election was however held following the death of Senator Ali Wakili who represented Bauchi South in the senate.

In another bye-election, Prof. Abimbola Adesoji declared the candidate of the APC Raheem Olawuyi, as the winner of the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in Kwara State.

The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Adesoji, while declaring the result at the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Omu-Aran, said Olawuyi polled a total of 21, 236 to emerge winner.

He defeated his closest rival, Saheed Damilare of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 18, 095.

Other contestants in the election were Messrs Femi Ona-Ara of Labour Party (LP), Ajadi Olayemi of Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) as well as Olaniyan Ayorinde of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

Prof. Abimbola gave the total number of total registered voters as collated as 168, 707, accredited voters as 41,185, the total valid votes as 39,599, total number of rejected votes as 1, 331 and total number of votes cast as 40,930.

It was gathered that some of the cancellations was due to incidents relating to snatching of ballot boxes and ballot box stuffing in three polling units in Irepodun Local Government Area – one of the LGAs that constitute the Federal Constituency.

The affected units as listed by the Presiding Officer in charge of the council included Registration Area (RA) 02 of Esie-Ijan Ward where two ballot boxes were reportedly snatched and 955 number of registered voters lost.

Other areas were Oro Ward 1 RA 02, Polling Unit 01 where a case of ballot snatching was recorded and a total of 297 registered voters were affected and over voting in Oro Ward 2 RA 10 Polling Unit 01 with 474 registered votes lost.

Similarly, cancellation was also recorded in Ile Apaasin RA 04 Polling Unit in Isin Local Government where only 59 voters were accredited but turned in 377 votes.

Some Independent National Electoral Officers were confirmed to have been attacked and wounded in the process

In the same vein, INEC Sunday declared the Katsina State House of Assembly Speaker, Alhaji Abubakar Kusada of the ruling APC as the winner of the Kankiya/Kusada/Ingawa Federal constituency bye-election.

The returning officer Prof. Adedayo Hamza who announced the result on Saturday in, Kankiya said Kusada scored a total of 48,518 votes to emerge winner.

However, he announced that Alhaji Abdussamad Yusuf of the opposition PDP came second with 20,193 votes, while Nasiru Kankiya of the Peoples Redemption Party scored 1,810 votes to emerge as the second runner-up.

Also, Abdullahi Umar of the Yes Electorate Solidarity (YES) got 221 votes.

According to Prof Hamza, the total number of registered voters in the constituency is 193,904, while the number of accredited voters was 74,242.

The number of valid votes cast was 70,742 and rejected votes was 2,331.The total number of votes cast was 73,073.

Meanwhile, a INEC National Commissioner Mr. Festus Okoye, has advised political parties to intensify voter education and management of polling units.