The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed August 21 for a supplementary election in five polling units of the Kaura Namoda South State Assembly constituency in Zamfara State.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mahmud Isah, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting in Gusau on Tuesday.

He explained that the August 16 bye-election was declared inconclusive after results from five polling units in Kyambarawa and Sakajiki registration areas were cancelled over alleged irregularities.

“The supplementary poll will be conducted in the affected units to ensure the credibility of the process and the will of the people is respected,” Isah stated.

The REC listed the three affected units in Kyambarawa ward as:

Shiyar Magaji (Kofar Hamza) 002

Tukasu (Sabuwar Kasuwa) 009

Kofar Fafa (Shiyar Fada)

In Sakajiki ward, the supplementary election will be held in:

Alko (Shiyar Kudu) 002

Shiyar Nufawa (Kofar MD Nuhu) 007

Registered Voters and PVC Collection

INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Lawal Sa’adu of the Federal University, Gusau, noted that 5,446 voters were registered in the affected areas, with 3,265 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected.

He added that the margin between the two leading parties was less than the PVCs collected in the affected polling units, hence the decision to declare the election inconclusive.

According to the results released before the cancellation, the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 7,001 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded 5,339 votes, resulting in a margin of 1,662 votes.

The electoral body cited Sections 24 (2 & 3), Section 47 (3), and Section 51 (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 to justify the decision to rerun the election in the affected polling units.