President Bola Tinubu congratulated all the winners of Saturday, August 16, by-elections in 16 constituencies across 12 states.
Tinubu also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the hitch-free elections.
Results declared INEC showed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in 12 constituencies, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won in two, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in one, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) won in one.
Tinubu congratulated the new APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, for APC’s first victories under his leadership.
He also congratulates the APC governors and other leaders on the success of the by-elections.
“Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda has shown leadership capacity and demonstrated what is achievable when popular candidates are fielded and with unity of purpose among party leaders,” the President remarks.
“To all APC faithful and the electorate, thank you for the confidence reposed in our party. Be assured that our Renewed Hope slogan is not a mere slogan. Our destination is a better, more secure and prosperous Nigeria. We shall take you there, by the Grace of God,” he said.
Tinubu further urged political parties and their candidates who participated in the polls to be guided by the spirit of sportsmanship, fair contest and magnanimity.
Meanwhile, INEC declared the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency bye-election in Zamfara inconclusive.
The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Lawal Sa’adu of Federal University Gusau said that the declaration followed the cancellation of results from some polling units in Sakajiki and Kambarawa wards.
Sa’adu said 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.
He explained that the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 7,001 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 5,339 votes, leaving a margin of 1,662 votes.
Sa’adu stated that the margin was less than the total number of PVCs collected in the cancelled polling units, therefore, the election cannot be concluded.
The electoral umpire sited Sections 24 sub section 2 & 3, Section 47 sub section 3, and Section 51 sub section 2 of the Electoral Act 2022 as reasons for declaring the election inconclusive
He said in 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 in excess of the number of collected PVCs in areas where elections were cancelled.
According to him, therefore, the Returning Officer shall decline to declare a winner until supplementary elections are conducted.
The returning officer also said 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.
The other was Kambarawa Ward, with three polling units affected and having 4,088 registered voters and 1,964 PVCs collected.
Sa’adu, therefore, declared the election inconclusive, pending the conduct of a supplementary poll in the affected polling units.
He said INEC would announce a new date for rerun election in the five affected polling units across Sakajiki and Kyambarawa wards.
