By Wale Akinselure, Olayinka Olukoya, Yekini Jimoh, Godwin Otang and Agency Reports
SATURDAY’S election for Ibadan North East/South East constituency has been declared inconclusive.
Some candidates in the election are Abass Adigun (Peoples Democratic Party), Dapo Lam-Adesina (All Progressives Congress), Ajaja Adebukola (Accord), and Deji Aboderin (Social Democratic Party).
This came as returning officer for the election, Dr Akanni Lawanson withheld declaring a winner.
Speaking at Mapo Hall, Ibadan, on Monday afternoon, Lawanson explained that he could not declare winner of the election because the number of collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in some units where elections were not held or cancelled exceeded the margin between the two leading candidates.
While not disclosing the exact figures, Lawanson said the margin between the two was about 650 votes while the PVCs in question were in excess of 1,200.
He said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have to arrange elections in the contentious units bearing in mind the margin of lead and number of potential eligible voters.
He said: “In the last few days, we have gone through the stages of collation. The two local government results were submitted to me and based on what was submitted, I clarified the content of what was submitted with the agent in each of those LGA.
“Naturally, the provision of the law allows only one agent to be at the collation centre. I bent to allow for two of them to be there so they can speak as a witness to the results submitted in each of the local government. I went through all the results and they all agreed that the result submitted to me were okay. We compiled it and based on that, we have the final score.
“The condition is that I compare the information and invoke margin of lead concept in terms of considering the instances where either elections were not held or there was cancellation.
“The number of PVCs where elections were cancelled or not held should be taken into consideration and be compared with the margin of lead. When the margin of lead is in excess of the summation of the PVCs collected from those poling booths where election were not held or cancelled
“Then I can proceed to enter the result in EC8e2 and make declaration.
“But where the number of PVCs collected exceeds the lead or difference between the two leading candidates, then I have no authority to go further because it is expected that INEC will arrange for future election in those units and then add it to the existing scores that they do have to know who they will declared in the future.
“The situation is I cannot proceed to make declaration.”
In Kaduna State, Ango Abdullahi’s son, Sadiq Abdullahi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the Sabon Gari federal constituency with 33,616 votes, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.
Dr Hashim Suleman, of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the Returning Officer, announced the result in Zaria on Monday.
Suleiman declared Abdullahi winner of the election having defeated his closest contender, the incumbent member representing the area, Malam Garba-Datti Mohammed of the APC, who scored 31,737 votes.
Garba-Datti Mohammed, who presently represents the constituency in the National Assembly for the fourth term, was seeking re-election.
The returning officer said the constituency had 217, 941 registered voter.
He said that out of the 217, 941 registered voters, 79, 580 voters were accredited for the election, while 76,654 valid votes were cast.
Also, Olumide Osoba, son of a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, has been elected into the House of Representatives for Obafemi-Owode,Odeda and Abeokuta North Federal Constituency for the third time.
He scored 43,406 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yemi Coker of the PDP, who polled 24,928 votes.
The result of the election was announced by Professor Olubukola Isa.
The lawmaker appreciated his constituents for the confidence they had in him to represent them at the green chambers for the mandate.
He said, “Thank you Odeda, Obafemi Owode and Abeokuta North .I am deeply humbled and honoured to be your legislator, following my successful re-election to serve you. I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who took the time to cast your vote and put your trust in me once again.
“I want to thank you, the people of Odeda, Obafemi Owode and Abeokuta North, for your unwavering support and encouragement. It has been a privilege to serve you over the past term, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue doing so.”
The candidate of the APC in Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro Federal Constituency in Kogi State, Mr Abdullahi Halims, candidate has also been declared winner of the Saturday’s election.
The returning officer, Dr Kadiri Wasiu, declared the results in Ankpa on Monday.
According to Wasiu, Halims polled 34,280 votes to defeat PDP’s Joshua Adejoh, who scored 25,847 votes.
“Abdullahi Halims of the All Progressives Congress (APC), having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” Wasiu said.
Reacting to the result, Mr Muhammed Nasiru, the Coordinator of Information, Visual and Strategic (IVS) Operations to Halims, said the result was a reflection that the APC candidate was loved by his people.
Also in Cross Rivers State, the PDP candidate for Ogoja/Yala federal constituency, Godwin Offiono, has been declared the winner of the House of Representatives election.
The PDP candidate won the election after polling 36,642 to defeat his opponent, Jude Ngaji, who scored 32,964.
Ngaji, a former state security adviser to Professor Ben Ayade of Cross River State was sent to House of Representatives in last year’s bye-election organised by INEC but eventually has lost the seat back to the PDP.
In his remarks, the returning Officer for the house of reps contest, Dr. Wokasor Eni Ofem, said by the power conferred on me as returning officer in this election, I declare Offiono as winner of the contest.
Meanwhile, in Nasarawa State, Sarki Dahiru of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has won the Lafia/Obi Federal constituency seat, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.
Dahiru, who was re-elected for the third term, polled 37,469 votes to defeat Ahmed Dallah of the PDP and Mohammed Al-Makura of APC, who scored 36,067 and 35,400 votes respectively.
Declaring the result on Monday in Lafia, Professor Abdullahi Usman, Returning Officer of the election, said Dahiru had satisfied the requirements of the law and was, thus, duly elected.
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