Electoral commission declares Zamfara state by-election inconclusive
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency bye-election in Zamfara inconclusive, explaining that it will announce a new date for the rerun election.
Penpushing reports that Returning Officer for the election, Lawal Sa’adu of the Federal University Gusau, stated that the declaration followed the cancellation of results from some polling units in Sakajiki and Kambarawa wards.
The returning officer explained that the total number of registered voters in the affected polling units stood at 5,446, while 3,265 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected in those areas, adding that the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 7,001 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 5,339 votes, leaving a margin of 1,662 votes.
Penpushing further reports that Sa’adu explained that the margin was less than the total number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected in the cancelled polling units; emphasizing that as a result of this, the election cannot be concluded.
The returning officer of the election cited Sections 24 subsection 2 and 3, Section 47 subsection 3, and Section 51 subsection 2 of the Electoral Act 2022 as reasons for declaring the election inconclusive
Penpushing also reports that he stressed that based on the Electoral Act 2022 and the Manual for Election Officials, such a situation arises where the margin of lead between the two leading candidates was not more than the number of collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in areas where elections were cancelled.
The electoral umpire explained that with the development he shall decline to declare a winner until supplementary elections are conducted adding that the two registration areas affected by the cancellation were: Sakajiki Ward, with two polling units affected, having 1,357 registered voters and 1,298 PVCs collected.
Penpushing reports that the returning officer disclosed that other was Kambarawa Ward, with three polling units affected and having 4,088 registered voters and 1,964 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected.
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