INEC DECLARES KEBBI GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION INCONCLUSIVE

The Kebbi State Governorship election in North-West Nigeria has been declared inconclusive. This follows the outbreak of violence, destruction of election materials and over-voting in 20 out of the 21 local government local areas.

The crisis had led to attacks on four youth corps members who were ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and were critically injured and receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

Returning officer for the Kebbi State Governorship election, Yusuf Saidu made the announcement in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital nine hours into the collation of results in the local governments’ areas.

About 91,808 registered voters in the troubled areas were disenfranchised by political thugs.

Agents of opposition parties raised concerns over the electoral malpractices, citing how the collation officer of Gwandu local government area with 82,200 registered voters changed 17 polling units in 7 Wards without following due process and later absconded with election materials for hours before showing up at the collation centre on Sunday.

Before the pronouncement, the PDP agent declined to sign the collation results sheet.

In the same vein, six State constituency elections in Kebbi State were also declared inconclusive. These include Yauri, Kalgo, Gwandu, August and Koko-Besse.

The results for Bagudo East, Bagudo West, Suru, Sakai, Arugungu, Zuru, Dandi, Ngadki, Shanga Birnin Kebbi South, Bunza, Wasagu-Danko East and West were declared as the All Progressives Congress, APC wins 11 seats and PDP two seats.

The Commission is expecting election results from five local government areas.