The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday pronounced the gubernatorial race in Kebbi as “inconclusive”.
The election was vigorously fought by the two big political parties, the All Progressives Congress and the peoples Democratic Party.
The Collation and Returning Officer of the election, Prof. Yusuf Sa’idu of the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, revealed the position at the collation centre housed at INEC headquarters in Birnin Kebbi.
He claimed there were cancellations in 20 of the 21 local government areas of Kebbi State crossing over several Registration Areas in various polling units.
Sa’idu said: “We aggregated the total number of collected PVCs in those polling stations and it amounted to a total of 91,829.
“And when we verified the results, the two biggest political parties in this battle, APC and PDP polled 388,258 and 342,980 votes respectively. When we look at the differential, it stands at 45,278.”
He stated that they had no alternative but to go to the election legislation on page 31 of the Electoral Act 2022, section 51 sub-sections two and three for advice.
According to him, the statute said, “Where the number of votes cast in an election in any polling unit exceeds the number of accredited voters in that polling unit, the presiding officer must annul the outcome of the election in that polling unit.
“Sub-section three of section 51 further provides that when the result of an election is annulled in line with subsection two, there shall be no return for the election until another poll has taken place in the affected polling unit.
“By these rules and the powers given to me as the collation and returning officer of the 2023 gubernatorial election in Kebbi State, I, Prof. Yusuf Sa’idu of the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, officially declare the governorship election in Kebbi State inconclusive.”
