THE New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have recorded victories in separate state assembly by-elections held in Kano State.
In the Bagwai/Shanono constituency, the NNPP candidate, Ali Kiyawa, was declared winner with 16,198 votes, defeating his APC rival, Ahmad Kadamu, who polled 5,347 votes. The result was announced at 12:36 a.m. on Sunday by the Returning Officer, Professor Hassan Shitu.
However, according to NAN, tension brewed at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Kano as some NNPP leaders staged a sit-in, alleging attempts to manipulate the Ghari/Tsanyawa constituency poll.
The spokesperson for the Kano State Governor, Sanusi Tofa, said the party would not vacate the premises until the results were officially announced.
Later on Sunday, the APC clinched the Ghari/Tsanyawa supplementary election. Returning Officer, Muhammad Waziri of Bayero University, declared Garba Gwarmai the winner with 31,472 votes, defeating NNPP’s Yusuf Maigado, who secured 27,931 votes.
The supplementary election followed the earlier inconclusive poll in the constituency.
The ICIR had earlier reported allegation of widespread violence and disruption in the by-election as APC called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel it.
In a statement on Saturday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party alleged that the polls were overrun by armed thugs who attacked several polling units, forcing voters to flee and leaving security personnel overwhelmed.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.