Premium News
INEC DECLARES ZAMFARA BYE-ELECTION INCONCLUSIVE OVER CANCELLATION OF RESULTS
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Kaura Namoda south constituency by-election in Zamfara as inconclusive.
Lawal Sa’adu, the returning officer, said the decision followed the cancellation of results in polling units in Sakajiki and Kambarawa wards.
He said the affected units had 5,446 registered voters, with 3,265 permanent voter cards (PVCs) collected.
Sa’adu said the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 7,001 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 5,339 votes, leaving a margin of 1,662 votes.
“The margin is less than the number of PVCs collected in the cancelled polling units; therefore, the election cannot be concluded,” he said.
The returning officer cited Sections 24(2 & 3), 47(3), and 51(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 as the legal justification for the inconclusive declaration.
He added that under the Electoral Act 2022 and the manual for election officials, a lead smaller than collected PVCs in cancelled units requires supplementary elections.
“Accordingly, the returning officer shall decline to declare a winner until supplementary elections are held,” he said.
Sa’adu said Sakajiki ward has two affected polling units, with 1,357 registered voters and 1,298 PVCs collected.
He added that Kambarawa ward has three affected polling units, with 4,088 registered voters and 1,964 PVCs collected.
“The election is therefore declared inconclusive, pending supplementary polls in the affected units,” Sa’adu said.
He said INEC would announce a new date for a rerun in the five affected polling units.
