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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress ( APC) candidate, Dr Nasiru Idris, winner of Kebbi State governorship election.
The Returning Officer for the governorship election, Professor Sa’idu Yusuf, said the APC candidate polled 409,225 votes to beat his rival, Aminu Bande of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), who got 360,940.
Recall that the governorship election first held on March 18, but was declared inconclusive by INEC over cases of violence and overvoting.
He said a total of 95,897 were eligible to vote in the supplementary election, but 40,186 voters were accredited.
“The APC received 20,967 in the election while PDP received 17,960 votes.
“The total votes received by APC is 409,225 while that of the PDP is 360,940. The total number of valid votes is 781,478, rejected votes 19,082 while total votes cast is 800,560,” Yusuf said.
The returning officer added that a total of 39,244 was recorded as valid votes, 878 as rejected votes and a total of 40,122 was recorded as votes cast in the election.
Meanwhile, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Voter and Information Commission, Barr Festus Okoye, said the outcome of the supplementary election in Kebbi shows that the commission is capable of doing what is right.
While speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Okoye said: “We hope to build on this and as well improve on the feat recorded in Kebbi State. We are sure the people of Kebbi State would be happy with the process that produced their governor-elect.”