The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Kebbi gubernatorial election inconclusive.
The election was keenly contested by the two giant political parties, the All Progressives Congress and the peoples Democratic Party.
The Collation and Returning Officer of the election, Prof. Yusuf Sa’idu announced the position at the collation center situated at INEC headquarters in Birnin Kebbi.
He said there were cancellations in 20 of the 21 local government areas of Kebbi State cutting across a number of Registration Areas in different polling units.
Sa’idu said the total number of registered voters was 2,032,041 out of which the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 388,258 and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) garnered 342,980, leaving a difference of 45,278.
The returning officer said 792, 234 votes were cast, 18,204 votes were rejected and the total votes cast was 760,438.
“We aggregated the total number of collected PVCs in those polling units ( where votes were canceled) and it came to a total of 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 said.
Quoting the Electoral Act 2022, Sa’idu 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 result of the election in that polling unit.
“Subsection three of section 51 also states that where the result of an election is canceled in accordance with sub-section two, there shall be no return for the election until another poll has taken place in the affected polling unit.
“By virtue of these provisions and the powers vested in me as the collation and returning officer of the 2023 gubernatorial election in Kebbi State, I, Prof. Yusuf Sa’idu of the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, hereby declare the gubernatorial election in Kebbi State inconclusive.”
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