FCT polls: How INEC declared APC winner of Abaji Area Council without candidate

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Saturday, chairmanship election in Abaji Area Council of Abuja.

The INEC returning officer of the council election in Abaji, Prof Gabriel Mordi, who announced the result at the commission’s office on Sunday, declared that APC scored 7,289 votes to defeat the candidate of the opposition PDP, Alhaji Yahaya Garba Gawu, who got 4, 062 votes.

Prof Mordi said the winner will be announced after the determination of the case before the court in Abuja.

Recall that one APC chairmanship aspirant in Abaji, Abubakar Umar Abdullahi, had instituted a suit before the Supreme Court, after an FCT High Court and Appeal Court had nullified his candidature and declared Alhaji Mohammed Angulu Loko, as the authentic chairmanship candidate of APC for the last April 23, 2021 primaries in the area.

Both the FCT High and Appeal Court ordered INEC to withdraw Abdullahi’s name and replace it with Alhaji Mohammed Angulu Loko, as the APC chairmanship candidate for February 12, 2022, council election in Abaji.

Elsewhere, it was all jubilation for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful as it returns to the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), six years after the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) took over power.

Declaring the results, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer for Chairmanship Election in the municipal area council, Professor Sani Saka, declared Hon. Christopher Zaka of the PDP the winner of the Abuja Municipal Area Council election.

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Zakka polled a total of 19,302 votes to defeat his closest rival, Murtala Karshi of the APC who polled a total of 13,240 votes with a margin lead of 6,062.

Similarly, the candidate of the PDP in Bwari Area Council, John Gabaya, was also declared the winner of the chairmanship election.

Returning Officer for Chairmanship Election in Bwari, Professor Amuche Madu, declared Mr Gabaya who polled 13,045 to defeat his closest rival Mr Haruna Shekwolo of APC who scored 7,697.

Mr Gabaya was then returned elected having met the requirements of the constitution and the electoral law.

Also, the PDP chairmanship candidate for Kuje Area Council, Suleman Sabo, was also declared winner having floored the other five candidates in each of the 10 wards in the area council.

The INEC Returning Officer for the Kuje Area Council election, Sule Magaji, declared him a winner after gathering a total of 13,301 votes to trounced his closest rival, Sarki Hamidu of the APC, who secured 7,694 votes to emerge second.

Meanwhile, the candidate of the APC, Mr Danladi Chiya, has emerged the winner of Kwali Area Council Chairmanship election with a total of 7,646 votes against his closest rival of the PDP, Mr Haruna Pai who scored 7,345.

The INEC Returning Officer, Professor Wesley Nafarnda made the declaration at the INEC Office in Kwali Abuja.

Also, the candidate of the APC, Jubrin Abubakar, has been declared as the chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council at the Saturday Council elections.

Mr Abubakar, a former chairman of the council, defeated his opponent, Mohammed Kassim of the PDP.

Mr Abubakar polled 11,125 votes and was declared by the INEC Returning Officer, ID Umar as the winner of the keenly contested election.