INEC Declares Kebbi Guber Election Inconclusive
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has Monday announced that the gubernatorial election in Kebbi State was inconclusive. The two major political parties, APC and PDP, had contested fiercely for the position.
The Collation and Returning Officer of the election, Prof. Yusuf Sa’idu, made the announcement at the collation center located at INEC headquarters in Birnin Kebbi.
Prof. Sa’idu stated that 20 out of the 21 Local Government Areas of Kebbi State had cancellations that affected a number of Registration Areas (RAs) in various polling units.
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He noted that a total of 91,829 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected in those polling units, and the two leading political parties in the contest, APC and PDP, polled 388,258 and 342,980 votes respectively. The difference between the two parties was 45,278.
Prof. Sa’idu referred to the electoral laws, specifically page 31 of the Electoral Act 2022, section 51 sub-sections two and three, for guidance.
He pointed out that according to the law, if the number of votes cast in an election in any polling unit exceed the number of accredited voters in that polling unit, the presiding officer shall cancel the result of the election in that polling unit.
He further noted that where the result of an election is cancelled in accordance with sub-section two, there shall be no return for the election until another poll has taken place in the affected polling unit.
Prof. Sa’idu invoked the provisions and the powers vested in him as the Collation and Returning Officer of the 2023 gubernatorial election in Kebbi State, to declare the gubernatorial election in Kebbi State inconclusive.
