The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Kaura Namoda South State Assembly bye-election inconclusive as elections conducted in 5 polling units under Sakajiki and Kyambarawa wards were cancelled following irregularities.

While announcing the results at early hours of Sunday, the Returning Officer, Professor Lawal Sa’adu of the Federal University Gusau, explained that the results earlier announced showed that the APC is leading with 7,001 votes, as the PDP had 5,339 votes respectively.

According to Professor Lawal, the margin difference between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has so far recorded 1,662 votes, which is quite less than the number of collected PVCs in the five (5) affected polling units.

He explained that “In Sakajiki Ward (Code 06), two polling units with 1,357 registered voters and 1,298 collected PVCs were affected, while in Kyambarawa Ward (Code 05), three polling units with 4,088 registered voters and 1,964 collected PVCs were affected, bringing the total number of 3,265 collected PVCs across the five polling units.

“Considering Electoral Act 2022—Section 24 (2&3), Section 47 (3), and Section 51 (2)— the commission had no choice but to declare the election inconclusive”, Prof. Lawal has stressed.

The INEC further stated that a new date for the rerun election in the affected polling units would be announced.