FINALLY! ‎INEC declares APC’s Yahaya Bello winner of Kogi governorship election

The Independent National Electoral Commissioner has declared Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress the governor-elect of Kogi State, following yesterday’s conclusion of the governorship election declared inconclusive on November 22.

The Returning Officer, Immanuel Kucha, declared Mr. Bello winner at 5.26 AM on Sunday, ending a collation exercsise that started

11.06pm on Saturday.

Saturday’s Supplementary election held in 91 polling units across 18 local government areas on Saturday.

The supplementary poll did not hold only in three local government area, namely Mopa, Ogori Magogo and Yagba East.

The election was declared inconclusive after the margin of win between PDP and APC was less than the number of registered voters in the 91 polling units where election was cancelled.

According to the results declared by Mr. Kucha, Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, the APC garnered 6,885 votes in the supplementary election, bringing the total votes it received to 247,752, having polled 240,857 in the November 21 election.

The second runner up, the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Idris Wada, who is the incumbent governor, scored 5,363 in the supplementary election.

Thus, PDP polled a total of 204, 877 votes, having had 199,514 at the November 21 election.

“That Yahaya Bello of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law and scored the majority is hereby decakred winner,” Mr. Kucha said.

Mr. Bello, 40, emerged APC candidate for the supplementary election, after the demise of Abubakar Audu on November 22. The deceased won the APC primary election, with Mr. Bello was first runner-up.

A total of 1,379,971 voters were registered for the election but only 526,389 were accredited.