Bauchi Supplementary/rerun polls record large turnout of voters

The supplementary/re-run elections in two Local Government Areas of Bauchi State recorded a large turnout of voters, reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

While supplementary election is being conducted in Zaki Local Government Area, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is also conducting re-run election in Gamawa Local Government Area.

NAN correspondent monitoring the exercise observed a large turnout of voters in polling units in Sakwa, Murmur North and Mainako in Zaki.

Mohammed Hassan, Presiding Officer (PO) in-charge of Daladagum unit in Dugunmi town, told NAN that voting commenced at 8.20 a.m.

Alhaji Awal Jatau of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tata Umar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 19 other candidates are contesting in the supplementary polls to occupy the seat of Federal House of Representatives for Zaki Constituency.

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In a similar development, voting commenced early in most of the 287 voting units visited in Gamawa.

Madaki Gololo of the PDP and 20 other candidates are contesting for the Gamawa House of Representatives seat, while Mohammed Garba of the APC had earlier been excluded from the race by an election tribunal.

NAN recalls that the Court of Appeal, Jos Division, on November 14, 2019, sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, Rep. Umar Tata, representing Zaki Federal Constituency.

The same court nullified the election of Garba Gololo of APC representing Gamawa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State and disqualified him for presenting forged certificates to participate in the election.

The court also, in a consensus judgment, ordered INEC to conduct re-run election in the area within 90 days, excluding APC or its candidate from participating. (NAN)