• APC tried to rob me, says Bauchi ex-Speaker
Candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Pam Mwadkwon, has been declared winner in the Plateau North Senatorial District re-run election, having scored the highest votes cast.
Declaring the winner, yesterday, the Returning Officer (RO), Prof Nestor Chagok of University of Jos (UNIJOS) said that having scored 122,442 votes, Mwadkon became winner for Plateau North Senatorial seat.
He defeated his closest contestant, Gyang Zi of the Labour Party (LP), who scored 33,243 votes.
For the Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, Daniel Asama of LP was declared winner, having scored 66,422. Trailing him was Mohammed Garba of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), who polled 61,670.
Asama replaced a former House of Representatives member whose election was nullified by the Court of Appeal for not complying with the electoral guidelines; hence, a re-run was ordered. His party logo was not included in the ballot paper.
BUT the candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Yakubu Shafiu, who contested the Plateau North Senate seat, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of favouring a particular candidate.
Addressing journalists, yesterday, in Jos, Shafiu said he and his party saw the re-run election in the 16 polling units as a grand plan to rob him and his party of victory.
He said: “We cannot see the reason behind a re-run election in those 16 polling units by the electoral umpire just because of mere claims by some people that there was shortage of election materials in 18 polling stations in Tudun Wada, Kabong and Naraguta “B” wards, when it is clear to all that this is an off-season election and not a general election.”
MEANWHILE, former Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to steal his mandate, but that his “strong connection” with the people saved him.
Suleiman described his victory at the re-run as proof that he initially won the March 18 election.
The Court of Appeal had in November ordered INEC to conduct a re-run in 10 polling units of Ningi Central constituency.
INEC declared Suleiman the winner of the re-run. He defeated the APC candidate.
Suleiman said, yesterday, that he was extremely happy with his constituents for restoring his mandate, which the APC tried to steal from him.
He said: “I am happy and this is an affirmation of my mandate, which some people were trying to steal from me, but the people of Ningi, especially people from those 10 polling units, rose up and defended the mandate. So, I am extremely happy for my people for doing that.”
Suleiman called on his opponent to sheathe his sword and join him in developing Ningi Central constituency, Ningi Local Council and Bauchi State at large.
