…Bwari, Kuje, Kwali polls declared inconclusive

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the chairmanship and councillorship elections in Bwari, Kuje and Kwali area councils inconclusive.

INEC returning officer for Bwari, Prof. Wesley Nafarda, said the election was inconclusive due to irregularities which included the destruction of result sheets and voting materials by thugs at some polling units.

Results from 17 polling units across Kawu, Kubwa, Dutsen Alhaji and Igu wards were also cancelled. He said residents would be informed on the new date for the rerun election at the affected polling units.

In the earlier declared result, the incumbent chairman, Musa Dikko of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had polled 16, 714 votes while his main opponent, Shekwogaza John Gabaya of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 22, 711 votes.

Prof. Nafarda said the total number of registered voters in the council was 224,737 while 44, 250 voters were accredited. Valid votes were 42, 291 while 1, 137 votes were rejected. A total of 42,428 votes was cast.

The returning officer for Kuje, Mrs. Zainab Gbefwi, told newsmen that the election was declared inconclusive due to electoral violence in Rubochi and Kabi wards of the council.

She said the elections in some polling units of Rubochi and Kabi wards were done without card readers, which compelled INEC to cancel some of the polling units.

According to her, INEC materials were destroyed and some ad hoc staff were also injured in the course of the violence that occurred.

“At the end of collation, there was no clear winner because the candidate that had the majority votes had one-quarter of two-thirds of the votes cast.

“But the difference between the candidate with the majority votes and the next candidate is very small as compared to the number of registered voters and votes cancelled,” she said.

The returning officer said that re-run elections will take place in the two affected wards, adding that the date for the re-run would be announced later after consultations with the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner.

The returning officer for Kwali, Prof. Margaret Ndanna, made the declaration at INEC office in the area yesterday.

She said the commission decided to declare the election inconclusive following violence that erupted in the area.

She said a new date will be fixed to conduct a re-run election after consultations and clearance with the FCT resident electoral commissioner.