Jos – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the governorship elections in Plateau inclusive.
Prof. Richard Kimbir, the Returning Officer for the election in the state announced this on Monday in Jos, after collating results from the 17 local government areas of the state.
Kimbir, who is the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, said the total number of votes cancelled more than the difference in the number of votes the the two major candidates got, “hence was constrained to declare the polls inclusive”.
The returning officer said Mr Simon Lalong of the All Progressive Congress (APC) scored 583, 255 votes while his closest opponent, Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni (rtd) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pulled 538, 326 votes in Saturday’s governorship elections.
Kimbir said the total number of votes cancelled in the state is 49, 347, which is above the total difference of 44, 929 in the votes scored by the two major candidates.
“In line with section 179, subsection two of the 1999 constitution as amended I am constrain to declare this election inclusive.
“This is because the total number of cancelles votes is above the difference that exist in th votes pulled by the two major candidates.
“So, in line with the electoral act, a supplementary elections will be conducted in the affected areas in 21 days, ” he declared.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LGAs were votes were cancelled include Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos and Kanam.
Others affected include Jos North, Langtang South, Mangu and Pankshin.
Adamawa
Yola – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the Adamawa Governorship election is inconclusive and a new date for the rerun election would be announced.
The Returning Officer .Prof. Andrew Haruna, confirmed the development at the governorship election collation centre in Yola on Monday.
Haruna said the number of cancellations was higher than the margin of lead votes between the two contestants and therefore, a new date for the rerun election would be fixed.
Haruna mentioned about 44 polling units affected across the state (NAN)
Bauchi
Bauchi – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday declared as “inconclusive”, outcome of the governorship election in Bauchi state.
Prof. Mohammed Kyari, Returning Officer who made the declaration, said that apart from the cancellation of the result from entire Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area because of irregularities, the exercise in some other polling units also suffered the same fate.
“The margin between the winner and opponent is less than the total number of votes cancelled in some polling units.
“By law, since the margin of winner is less than the total number of votes cancelled and registered voters in the areas where the votes have been cancelled, this elections is hereby declared inconclusive,” he said.
He said his decision was in line with section 26 part 53 of the Electoral Act.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while announcing the votes garnered by the two contending parties before declaring the outcome inconclusive, the Returnig Officer had given the scores of incumbent governor, Mohammed Abubakar of APC as 465,453 votes and that of Bala Mohammed of PDP as 469,512 votes.
Kyari said that the Independent National Electoral Commission would conduct re- run election within 21 days in the affected Local Government area and polling unit which results had been cancelled before the final announcement of the winner.
NAN reports that earlier in the day, the INEC Collation Officer in charge of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, Mrs Dominion Anosike, had told the Returning Officer that the original result sheet was snatched by some thugs.
She said the thugs later came back with an improvised result sheet and forced her to declare its content as being the outcome of the election in the local government area.
