INEC expresses commitment towards credible supplementary poll in Kano state

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is committed to conducting free, fair and credible Governorship supplementary poll on March 23 in Kano state.

INEC Resident Electoral Commission (REC), in the state, Prof. Riskuwa Arab-Shehu disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Kano.

Arab-Shehu said the supplementary election would determine the winner of state governorship election, which was declared inconclusive on Monday.

He further explained that, results were cancelled in some polling units due to violence and over voting.

“INEC wishes to reiterate its commitment towards a conduct of free, fair and credible election in the state.

“It also wishes to inform the public that the Supplementary Election will be conducted on Saturday March 23,” he stated.

He said the cancellation of results in some units located within some Local Government Areas (LGAs) is due to violence and over voting.

“Results were cancelled in 210 Polling Units constituting 88 Registration Areas,” he said.

He said the affected Polling Units have a total number of 128, 572 registered voters, while the margin between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) is only 26,655.

According to him, the contenders with the highest votes in the election are the APC’s candidate with 987, 819, while the PDP’s candidate has 1, 014, 474 votes.

He explained that, the cancellation is in compliance with Section 41 (e) of the Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of 2019 General Elections.

“Where the margin of lead between the two leading candidates is not in excess of the total number of registered voters of the polling unit(s) where election was cancelled or not held in line with sections 26 and 53 of the Electoral Act, the Returning Officer shall decline to make a return until poll has taken place in the affected polling unit(s).

“And the results incorporated into new form EC 8D and subsequently recorded into form EC 8E for declaration and return,” he said.

Arab-Shehu said:“Based on the above and looking at the marginal lead of 26, 655 between the two candidates with highest votes and the number of total votes cancelled which stands at 128, 572, a winner cannot be declared at this stage until a supplementary election is conducted in the affected polling units.”