INEC declares Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency bye-election inconclusive
Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday, declared the Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency bye-election inconclusive
Declaring the results of the election at the collation center, Jalingo Local Government Secretariat, the Returning Officer, Prof. Daniel Ayuba said, the decision became necessary owing to the fact that the margin of lead between the first runer up, PDP and the second runer up, SDP was far below the total number of Permanent Voters Cards, (PVCs), collected in the polling units that elections were cancelled
According to the Returning Officer, the margin lead between the PDP and the SDP was just 1677 votes, while the number of Permanent Voters Cards PVCs collected in the polling units cancelled was 14759.
He declared that a supplementary election be conducted in the affected polling units between the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Hon. Sadiq Abas Tafida who scored 17214 votes and that of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Hon. Innocent Jabayang who scored 15537 votes and the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Hon. Innocent Jabayang who polled 15537 votes respectively.
Prof Daniel Ayuba announced that the total number of registered voters at the election was 334277. The total number of voters accredited was 54213 while the total valid vote cast at the election was 53299
He said 11 political parties shared the total valid votes cast as ADC polled 113, ADP 136 and APC 12149 votes. Also, APGA polled 1708, APP 258, LP 1499, NNPP 3632 and PDP 17214 votes. Others include PRP with 150 votes, SDP 15537 and ZLP 98 vote while 805 votes were rejected at the election respectively
The Professor pointed out that the total number of voters obtained at the cancelled polling units across the three Local Government Areas of the Constituency stood at 14,759
While identifying the polling units affected by the cancellation, the Returning Officer said in Pupule 3 Ward of Yorro Local Government, PU 010, PU 001, PU 005 were affected. In Sumbu B Ward, PU 002, PU 007, PU 004, and PU 008 were affected and in Sumbu A Ward, he identified PU 001as the only polling unit that had its elections cancelled
For Zing Local Government Area, Guban Ward has two polling units, PU 007 and Pu 008 affected by the cancellation while Jalingo Local Government Area has PU 007, PU 006, and PU 003 of Mayo Gwoi Ward cancelled.
Also, in Mijindadi Ward of Jalingo, PU 025 and PU 018 were cancelled. Turaki Ward has PU 001, PU 003, PU 006, PU 010, PU 020 and PU 021 cancelled. Barade Ward has PU 005, and PU 011 affected just as Kachala Ward has PU 008 and PU 021 billed for a supplementary election respectively.
Stating the reasons for the cancellations, the Returning Officer maintained that some of the polling units were affected as a result of alleged over voting while others were affected because of non-usage of BVAS.
Our reporter who monitored closely the entire processes of the election, reported that there was low turn up of voters across the three Local Government Areas of the Constituency
