Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
Candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Jigawa, Niger and Kwara states won the last Saturday bye-elections, while the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) won in Sokoto State.
Muhammad Musa Fagen-Gawo and Danjuma Kashimu, were declared winners in the Babura/Garki Federal Constituency and Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency of Jigawa and Niger states respectively.
Fagen-Gawo polled 48,318 votes to beat other candidates across the 302 polling units in both Garki and Babura local government areas of the state.
Returning Officer, Prof. Ahmad Kutama, who declared the results said the APC candidate defeated his closest rival, Nasiru Garba Dantiye of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 24,135 votes.
The electoral officer said Fagen-Gawo, having secured the highest number of votes in the election was declared winner.
The third contestant in the election was Bashir Umar of Action Democratic Party (ADP), who secured 458 votes.
In Niger, the INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Abdullahi, of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said Kashimu scored 23,085 to defeat Alamu Emmanuel of PDP, who came second with 16,812 votes.
Abdullahi said Shehu Sale, the candidate of APGA, scored 8,670 votes while Ladan Yusuf of ADC polled 321 votes.
He explained that the total number of registered voters was 159,350, while the number of accredited voters was 50,890, with 48,888 valid votes, 1,883 rejected votes and the number of votes cast was 50,771.
Meanwhile, Prof. Samuel Egwu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), yesterday commended the electorate in the constituency for the peaceful conduct during and after the bye-election.
Speaking after the announcement of the results Egwu said: “I am very pleased with the residents for their orderly manner during the implementation of electoral process.”
The commissioner lauded politicians and other stakeholders for abiding by the rules and regulations during and after the election.
In a related development, Adam Ahmed Rufai, a candidate of APC won the Patigi constituency bye-election into the Kwara State House of Assembly.
The election, which was contested between 6 candidates from various political parties; AAC, ADC, APC, APM, NNPP, and PDP who came runner up with the vote cast of 4,623, was acknowledged to be peaceful and credible by the stakeholders and many participants.
According to the INEC returning officer for the election, “Adam Ahmed Rufai, of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of vote cast is hereby declared winner”
Based on the INEC records, 43,695 Permanent Voters Card, PVC is in the hands of the electorate in the constituency but it was only 15,654 that came out to vote during the exercise, which represents 35 per cent of total electorate.
Adam Rufai, who defeated all other five contestants including his major contender from the People Democratic Party, PDP, Mohammed Salihu Yahaya who happened to be his cousin from the same Lade ward was declared lawmaker elect.
The elected lawmaker would replace his late brother Saidu Ahmed Rufai who died December last year after a short illness will be representing Patigi constituency at the state assembly.
Meanwhile, Abubakar Adamu of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)has emerged winner of the by-election for Kebbe Constituency in Sokoto State House of Assembly.
INEC Head of Voter Education and Public Affairs, Muhammad Musa said this while speaking with journalists in Sokoto.
Musa, who said that seven candidates participated in the by-election, added that Adamu scored 15, 663 votes, while Mr Abubakar Umaru of APC polled 254 votes to emerge second.