Gov. Yakowa wins Kaduna governorship poll

Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was yesterday declared the winner of the governorship election in Kaduna State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He polled 1,134,319 votes out of the total 2,580,439 votes cast in a keenly contested election. The candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Haruna Sae’ed, came second with 1,133,564 votes.

Announcing the result at the office of the electoral body last night amidst tight security, the chief returning officer, who is also the vice-chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Mustapha Abdullahi, declared that, “Mr Yakowa, having polled the highest number of votes is, therefore, the duly elected governor of the state.”

But opposition parties have rejected the result, calling for the declaration of a state of emergency in the state. In a combined press briefing, the candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Balarabe Musa; Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Sani Sha’aban; Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Haruna Sae’ed, and Muktar Aruwa of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), alleged massive irregularities by the PDP. According to them, the party acted in collaboration with INEC and security agencies to rig the election.

“In line with the character of the PDP which is willing to perpetuate themselves in power by all means and at all costs, they found it very convenient to carry out their rigging. Reports from southern Kaduna indicate more than 90 percent voter turnout in the area, with the dead and displaced victims of the recent violence all voting, and they voted PDP,” the statement read.

Responding to his victory, Mr Yakowa thanked the people for voting for him and asked all to join him in moving the state forward. He said that the victory was not for celebration but sober reflection on the post-election violence in the state.