Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday declared
as “inconclusive”, outcome of the governorship election in Bauchi State.
Prof. Mohammed Kyari, Returning Officer, who made the declaration,
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, NAN reports
“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 Returning 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.