The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared as “inconclusive”, outcome of the governorship election in Bauchi state and will therefore conduct a re-run within 21 days.
Prof. Mohammed Kyari, Returning Officer who made the declaration on Monday said that apart from the cancellation of the result from entire Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area because of irregularities, the exercise in some other polling units also suffered the same fate.
“The margin between the winner and opponent is less than the total number of votes cancelled in some polling units.
“By law, since the margin of winner is less than the total number of votes cancelled and registered voters in the areas where the votes have been cancelled, this elections is hereby declared inconclusive,” he said.
He said his decision was in line with section 26 part 53 of the Electoral Act.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while announcing the votes garnered by the two contending parties before declaring the outcome inconclusive, the Returnig Officer had given the scores of incumbent governor, Mohammed Abubakar of APC as 465,453 votes and that of Bala Mohammed of PDP as 469,512 votes.
Kyari said that the Independent National Electoral Commission would conduct re- run election within 21 days in the affected Local Government area and polling unit which results had been cancelled before the final announcement of the winner.
NAN reports that earlier in the day, the INEC Collation Officer in charge of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, Mrs Dominion Anosike, had told the Returning Officer that the original result sheet was snatched by some thugs.
She said the thugs later came back with an improvised result sheet and forced her to declare its content as being the outcome of the election in the local government area.
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