APC Wins Kogi Supplementary Election

Preliminary results released on Sunday morning indicated that the All progressives Congress won the Kogi State governorship supplementary election held on Saturday.As of 2:30am on Sunday, the final

result had not been declared, however, the returning officers of different local government areas where the election took place had tendered their results.The run-off election went without any major
hitch.The supplementary election became necessary as a result of cancellation of voting in 91 units across 18 Local Government Areas of the state.The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the November 21 governorship election in the state inconclusive due to cancellation of votes in 91 polling units.In the first round of the election, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, the late Abubakar Audu, had been leading Governor Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party with over 41,000 votes.INEC had declared the election inconclusive because the number of registered voters in the 91 polling units outnumbered the victory margin in terms of the number of votes polled by the APC and the runner-up – the PDP.The electoral body consequently announced the Saturday supplementary poll.In Ajaokuta, voters trooped out as early as 8am for accreditation that lasted till 1pm when voting started.There were no reports of violence as of the time of filing this report, as Police were visibly present to watch over accreditation and voting proceedings.Electoral materials were moved to Dekina in Dekina LGA under tight security as early as 8am.About 17,000 votes were cancelled in Dekina, where Wada hails from.It is also where INEC’s Area Office was burnt down in the early hours of Friday by suspected hoodlums.Some hoodlums had on Friday morning set the office ablaze, where sensitive electoral materials and other equipment were burnt by the fire that raged for hours.It was also gathered that some yet to be identified persons, who dressed in police uniform, stormed the INEC office in the early hours of Friday and requested for all materials relating to the supplementary poll.A source said INEC officials at the office found the request unusual and declined. He added that the arsonists thereafter set the office ablaze.
Punch correspondent observed that polling units where impressive voters’ turnout was recorded in Olamaboro, Ankpa and Omala LGAs of the state.The election was held in a calm atmosphere with security personnel keeping vigil at various polling units visited.Kogi residents in parts of the state not affected by the rerun carried out their normal businesses, particularly in the state capital, Lokoja.