Presidential election: Buhari’s APC leads

Andrew Orolua and Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari, in last Saturday Presidential election is leading in the result so far released by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. Buhari has won with small margins of votes over his closest rival, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the results of the election in Kwara State, Nasarawa State, Kogi State, Gombe State, Osun State, Adamawa State and Ekiti State. Though, Atiku Abubakar won in the Federal Capital Territory with over 100,000 votes margin, it was not enough to upset the difference incurred in the states. Announcing the result of the Presidential election for Kogi State, Prof. Michael Adikwu, Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, said APC polled 285,894 votes against PDP 218,207 votes. A total number of 89,101 votes were invalidated due to crisis in 15 of the 21 local government areas in the state. Dekina LG was most affected with 41,000 votes invalidated in 69 polling units. In all, total votes cast were 553,496, total valid votes 521,016 while 32,480 votes were rejected. A representative of the PDP said the figure of crisis affected areas were not correct and promised to submit to the Chairman list compiled by PDP. Also announcing the result for Gombe State, the State Collation Officer, Prof Kyari Mohammed of Federal University Modibo, Adamawa, said APC polled 402,961 and PDP polled 138,434 among other contestants. Total valid votes was 554,203, while 26,446 votes were rejected. Total votes cast was 580,649. However, 7090 votes were cancelled in 13 polling units. In Balanga, 6308 votes were cancelled in 11 polling units and 782 votes in 2 units of Dikku LG. In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja where PDP showed a little more strength than other political parties, the PDP scored 259,997 votes while APC scored 152,224. Total votes cast was 451, 408, Total valid votes 423,951 and rejected votes 27,457. The Collation Officer, Prof. Mohammed Suleiman, Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University declared the result. While in Kwara State, Prof. Abdullahi Bala, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, who announced the result, said that out of 1,401,895 registered voters, 489,482 were accredited for the election. He said APC polled 308,984 votes while PDP polled 138,184 among other smaller parties. According to the Collation Officer, Total votes cast was 486,254, Total Valid votes was 459,676 while 26,578 were rejected. Prof. Bala said 3342 votes were cancelled in 4 LGAs. 729 votes cancelled in Baruten LG due to non- usage of smart card readers and 725 in Edu LG and 1838 votes in two polling units in Ilorin West LG due to over voting. In Nasarawa State, the result was announced by Prof. Azubuike Nwankwo, Academic Provost, Nigeria Defence Academy. He said election was conducted in 13 LGAs across Nasarawa State with 1,509,481 total registered voters and 613,720 accredited voters. APC scored 289,903, and PDP scored 283,847votes. According to him, total votes cast was 599,399, total valid votes 580,778 and rejected votes 18,621. INEC also declared Buhari winner of Presidential polls in Ekiti and Osun states. The results were declared at the Presidential Election Result Collation Centre, Abuja Monday like that of other states. Ekiti State Collation Officer and Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof.Idowu Olayinka said elections were held in 16 local governments of the state with 899,919 total registered voters but 395,741 accredited voters. He said total valid votes was 381,132 while 12,577 were voided/ rejected, totalling 393,709 votes cast in the state. The APC candidate polled 219,231 votes to beat closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 154,032 votes. President Buhari also won in Osun State. He polled 347,634 votes to beat the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar who polled 337,377 votes. Declaring the results, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos in company of the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, said 1,674,729 voters registered in the state while a total number of 732,984 voters were accredited. He added that the number of total valid was 714,682, voided votes 17,200 while total valid votes cast was 731,882 and 12,082 votes cancelled due to over voting. After the declaration of results from the two states, INEC chairman and Chief Electoral Officer for the Federation, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu declared a short break at 12.54pm due to non-availability of ready results from any other states. Activities at the Collation Centre resumed at 2.30pm but later stood down to 8 pm to allow four other states arrive the venue.