The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared both the Adamawa and Kebbi state governorship elections inconclusive.
This, the commission said, followed the margin of votes at the end of the contest in Adamawa.
Before reaching the decision in the case of Adamawa, INEC had announced that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 421,524, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru otherwise called Binani, scored 390, 275.
Earlier, the Returning Officer, Prof Muhammed Mele of the University of Maiduguri, Borno state, had rejected the manual result sheet from the Fufore Local Government Area (LGA) which had remained controversial since Monday.
In the result sheet, the APC polled 26,329 and the PDP 21,721 votes.
But the INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed the APC as scoring 24,777 votes, and the PDP 20, 777.
The collation officials rejected the results as declared by the local government returning officer and accepted that of the IReV as being authentic, declaring that the results from the LGA sharply contrasted with IREV portal’s version.
At the end of the collation, the APC candidate had eight LGAs while Fintiri won 13 LGAs from the 21 in the state.
When the APC agents showed their grievances over the results, the returning officer advised them to formally lay their complaints through the appropriate channel.
Kebbi
And from Kebbi, the state capital, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC and PDP keenly contested the election.
The Collation and Returning Officer of the election, Yusuf Sa’idu, a professor at the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, announced the position at the collation centre at INEC headquarters Birnin Kebbi.
He said there were cancellations in 20 of the 21 Local Government Areas of Kebbi State, cutting across several Registration Areas (RAs) in different polling units.
Sa’idu said: “We aggregated the total number of collected PVCs in those polling units, and it came to 91,829. And when we checked the results, the two leading political parties in this contest, APC and PDP, polled 388,258 and 342,980 votes, respectively. When we looked at the difference, it stands at 45,278.”
He noted that they had no option but to refer to the electoral laws on page 31 of the Electoral Act 2022, section 51 sub-sections two and three for guidance.
Quoting a section of the electoral law, he said, “Where the number of votes cast in an election in any polling unit exceeds the number of accredited voters in that polling unit, the presiding officer shall cancel the election result in that polling unit.
“Sub-section, three of section 51 also states that where the result of an election is cancelled following sub-section two, there shall be no return for the election until another poll has taken place in the affected polling unit.
“Under these provisions and the powers vested in me as the collation and returning officer of the 2023 gubernatorial election in Kebbi State, I, Yusuf Sa’idu of the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, hereby declare the gubernatorial election in Kebbi State, inconclusive.”
Niger
In Minna, Niger state, INEC announced Umar Bago of the APC as elected having polled 469, 869 votes to defeat other contestants in the governorship election.
The Returning Officer, Professor Clement Allawa, made the declaration Monday after receiving results from all the 25 local governments of the state.
He said Liman Kantigi of the PDP scored 387, 476 votes, while the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Joshua Bawa got 3,415 votes and the New Nigeria Peoples Party(NNPP) with 3,378 votes.
Allawa said: “With the powers conferred on me as the state returning officer for the governorship election in Niger state, I declared that Umar Bago, having satisfied the requirements, is hereby returned as the winner of the election and elected governor of Niger state.”
In accepting the victory, Bago expressed appreciation to the PDP candidate for openly conceding defeat.
He appealed to party supporters and other associates to celebrate the victory in humility adding “we are all from one family and we will carry everyone along in the governance of the state.”
A breakdown of the results showed the APC candidate won in 20 local government areas while the PDP candidate, Kantigi won 5 local government areas.
Bauchi
Also, Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed was declared winner with the majority of the votes cast across the 20 local government areas of the state.
Declaring the result, Monday, the Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Dutse, Professor Abdulkareem Sabo Mohammed, said Bala scored a total of 525,289 votes to get re-elected as governor of the state for another tenure of four years.
His closest rival, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar (rtd) of the APC, scored a total of 432,272 votes while the NNPP candidate, Senator Haliru Dauda Jika, polled 60,496 votes to come third.
Plateau
But in Plateau state, the APC-led government lost its bid to retain the state to the PDP’s Caleb Mutfwang who polled 525, 299, while APC’s Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda scored 481,370 votes.
Announcing the result, the returning officer, Prof. Idris Amale, said Mutfwang won in 10 out of the 17 local government areas of the state, while Yilwatda won in 7 LGAs.
Amale also said the LP candidate, Dr. Patrick Dakum, polled 60, 416 votes to come third in the contest.
Yakasai congratulates Kano gov-elect
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) in Kano state, Salihu Yakasai, has congratulated the state’s governor-elect, Abba Yusuf of the NNPP on his victory.
In a statement by his spokesman, Suhaib Auwal Gwagwarwa, the PRP candidate said: “I wish to congratulate my brother, Abba Kabir Yusuf, of NNPP for emerging victorious in the recently concluded governorship election.
“I am optimistic that he would use his experience to move the state forward, considering how the state has gone backwards in different areas of development. I urge you to work hard to revive the reputation of Kano State.”
Yakasai also thanked the party’s leaders, supporters, family friends and all who voted for Yusuf to ensure his victory.
INEC had declared Yusuf winner at the end of the collation across 44 local government areas (LGAs) in the state.
Announcing the result, the returning officer, Ahmad Dokko Ibrahim, said the NNPP won the election with 1,019,602 votes, while Gawuna got 890,705 votes.
In 2019, Yusuf contested against the incumbent governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in a keenly contested election which went into supplementary polls.
At the end of the first election, Yusuf, who at that time contested on the PDP platform, was leading Ganduje with 26,655 votes, having polled 1,014,474 votes with Ganduje’s 987, 819 votes.
Omo-Agege loses in Delta
In Delta state, Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori of the PDP ,emerged winner of the governorship election with 360, 234 votes, beating Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC with 240,229 votes, to the second position, while the LP candidate, Mr Ken Pella scored 48,047 votes to be placed in the third position.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Ownari Abraham Gorgewill from the University of Port Harcourt made the declaration in Asaba, the state capital.
The local governments won by the PDP include; Sapele, Aniocha South, Patani, lka South, Ndokwa East, Aniocha North, Ika North East, Bomadi, Ethiope East, Oshimili North, Warri South, Oshimili South, Isoko North and Okpe.
Others are Ukwuani, Warri South West, Warri North, Isoko South, Ndokwa East and West, Burutu, Ethiope west, while the APC candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege won in 4 local government areas namely; Udu, Ughelli South and North and Uvwie LGAs.
Gorgewill said accredited voters were 710, 829; total valid votes 671,737; rejected votes 15,384 and total votes cast 687,121.
Out of the 25 local government areas in the state, Sheriff won in 21, while Omo-Agege won only in 4 local government areas.
The declared results were endorsed by the party agents at the collation centre in the presence of security personnel and accredited observers.
Also speaking, Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr. Monday Udoh Tom, applauded the electoral officers, security personnel and others who “were in the field during the election, and worked under tough and rough scenario but brace up and still delivered on their mandate.”
Ebonyi
Reports from Ebonyi state said Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifiru of the APC emerged Governor-elect with the total votes of 199,131.
Announcing the results in Abakalilki, the Returning Officer, Prof Charles Igwe who is Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria((UNN) Nssuka, said the total number of registered voters for the elections was 1,597,646 with only 350,345 being accredited.
He listed parties that participated in the elections to include AA, ADC, ADP, APC, APGA, APM, APP, LP, NNPP, NRM, PDP, SDP and YPP
He said: “I Prof. Charles A. Igwe hereby certify that I am the returning officer of the 2023 governorship election, held on the 18th, on the 20th of March 2023. The candidates received the following votes.
“Nwifuru Francis Ogbonna, male of APC received APC 199131, Benard Odoh, Male, APGA 52189, Nkwegu Edward Okere, Male, LP 6793, Chukwuma Odii Ifeanyi of PDP 80191.rned elected”.
Cross River
The APC-led government in Cross River state successfully retained its control of the state as the party’s candidate, Bassey Otu won at the poll, beating his PDP rival, Senator Sandy Onor to the second position.
According to results announced by the INEC in Calabar, the APC candidate won in 15 of the state’s 18 local government areas while the PDP’s Onor won in three.
The LGAs where Otu won include; Obubra, Obudu, Bakassi, Abi, Yala, Biase, Calabar South, Etung, Odukpani, Calabar Municipality, Akpabuyo, Yakurr, Akamkpa, Boki and Obanliku.
The PDP flag bearer, Senator Onor, on the other hand, took Ogoja, Ikom and Bekwarra.
Declaring the winner, the Returning Officer, Prof Teedy Charles of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa state, said Otu polled 258, 619 to defeat Onor who scored 179,636 votes.
LP came third with 5,957 while the PRP scored 3,052 to emerge a distant fourth.
Charles said: “I hereby certified that I am the Returning Officer of the Cross River State governorship election that held on Saturday, 18th March, 2023, and that the election was keenly contested.
“That the margin of votes between the highest scorer, the candidate of the APC being 258,619 votes and that of the second highest scorer, the candidate of the PDP being 179,636 votes, is 78,983 votes, and that this is higher than the number of votes cancelled as a result of infractions.
“I hereby declare that Otu, Bassey Edet, having met the requirements of the law with the maximum number of valid votes cast is hereby declared a winner and is hereby returned elected,” Prof Charles stated.
Benue
Results from Benue state showed the APC’s Hycinth Alia was declared winner of the governorship election.
Alia polled a total of four hundred and seventy three thousand, nine hundred and thirty three votes (473,933) to defeat his closest rival, Titus Uba of the PDP, who scored two hundred and twenty three thousand, nine hundred and thirteen votes (223,913).
Though election did not hold in Kwande, one out of the 23 local government areas in the state, the Returning Officer, Professor Farouk Adamu Kuta, said the INEC was empowered by Section 24 (1) of the electoral act to announce the election.
Out of the 22 local government areas in the state that were collated, Alia, the APC candidate, cleared 17, Titus Uba of the PDP got 4, while the LP candidate, Herman Iorwase Hembe got 1.
Kaduna
From Kaduna state, Senator Uba Sani of the APC emerged victorious in the state’s gubernatorial election.
Speaking while declaring the winner, the State Collation Officer for Gubernatorial Election (SCOGE), Prof. Lawal Suleiman Bilbis said: “That Sani Uba of APC having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared as the winner of Kaduna state gubernatorial election and returned elected.”
Bilibis, the Vice Chancellor of the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, said Sani polled a total of 730,002 votes to defeat his closest rival, Isa Ashiru of the PDP, who polled 719,196 votes.
The LP candidate, Jonathan Asake, came a distant third after polling 58,283 votes, with the NNPP candidate Suleiman Hunkuyi scoring 21,405 votes.
Shortly before the declaration, the PDP Collation Agent, Danjuma Sarki, objected to the results, alleging the number of votes gotten from its situation room was 713,157 while the APC had 709,561.
He argued that the coalition did not follow the Electoral Act 2022 and asked INEC to refer to the results uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Responding to his claim, Bilbis objected, saying the results announced were based on the collation done which was not objected to by party agents.
Following the development, the PDP agent refused to sign the final results sheets.
