The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winners of the Chairmanship election held on Saturday in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari and Kuje council areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Christopher Zakka of PDP was declared winner of AMAC Chairmanship, scoring 19,302 votes to defeat Murtala Usman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 13,240 votes out of the 34,675 total votes cast in the election.

Declaring the results, the INEC Retuning Officer for AMAC, Prof. Sani Saka, at Karu, said “Zakka of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is here declared winner and returned elected.”

According to Saka, the total number of accredited voters in the council election was 35,010; total registered voters was 687,274; valid votes was 33,764; while the invalid votes was 21.

He declared the results as follows – Daniya Bature of Action Alliance (AA) scored 30 votes; Nnamchi Ani of African Action Congress (AAC) scored 29; Zamani David of African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 103; Gomina Kabiru of Action Democratic Party (ADP) 130, Murtala Usman of APC, 13,240; Bala Iyah of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), 135.

Others, according to him, include Bayero Ibrahim, candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), 104 votes; Eze Omeifejideofor of Labour Party (LP), 124 votes; Oke Abel of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), 31 votes; Samuel Mina of National Resistance Movement (NRM), 123 votes.

Votes scored by other candidates include Zakka of the PDP 19,302; Eric Ibe of Social Democratic Party (SDP), 39; Odoh Michael of Young Progressives Congress (YPP), 87; and Al-Muntaka Idris of People’s Redemption Party (PRP), 287.

A breakdown of the votes shows that in Gwarinpa Ward, PDP scored 2,609 votes; APC 2,086; LP 33. The ward has 99,384; registered voters, 4,953; accredited voters, 4,937; total votes cast; 4,847 valid votes; and 90 rejected votes.

In Wuse Ward with 88,068 total registered voters, 1,997 accredited voters, 1,895 total votes cast, 1,856 total valid votes and 39 rejected votes, where the APC polled 933 votes, PDP 857 votes, NNRM 23, YPP six and in Nyanya ward, PDP polled 1,861 votes, while the APC scored 1,199 votes. In Jiwa Ward APC scored 1,224 votes, while PDP scored 1,429 votes.

For Gui Ward, APC scored 834, PDP – 1,606 votes, while in Karshi Ward – APC polled –1,477 votes, and PDP – 180 votes.

For Gwagwa ward APC scored 1,158 votes; PDP 1,624 votes. Orozo Ward: APC polled 335, while PDP scored 674 votes.

Also at City Center Ward, APC scored – 1,093, PDP – 1,137. In Garki Ward, APC had 914 votes, PDP – 2,983 votes; in Karu Ward – APC scored 863 and PDP 1,848 votes; while in Kabusa Ward, APC scored 1,124 votes and PDP 2,494 votes.

NAN reports that for AMAC election, 14 political parties, including AA, APC, DPD, SDP and YPP nominated candidates for the poll, with only one female nominated by NRM and five others nominated for vice chairmanship position.

The 12 councilorship seats were also contested by 98 candidates comprising 15 females and 83 males.

AMAC has 687,274 registered voters and 1,401 polling units.

INEC similarly declared Mr Shekwogaza Gabaya of PDP winner of Bwari Area Council Chairmanship Election. Prof. Amuche Madu, the INEC Returning/Collation Officer for the election announced this on Sunday in Bwari.

Madu said that Gabaya polled 13, 045 votes to emerge winner, while Mr Haruna Shekwolo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came second with 7, 697 votes.

He said that Abubakar Abdullahi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) placed third with 603 votes.

“Shekwogaza Gabaya of PDP, having certified the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gabaya is re-elected for a second term in office.

NAN also reports that the election was conducted across the 10 wards of the council- Igu, Kubwa, Duste, Kawu, Byazin, Shere, Bwari central, Kuduru and Usuma.

In Kuje, INEC declared Suleman Sabo of PDP winner of the Council Chairmanship Election. Mr Sabo, the council’s incumbent chairman who will now serve his second term in office, defeated five other candidates in each of the 10 wards in the area council.

The incumbent chairman gathered a total of 13,301 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sarki Hamidu of APC, who secured 7,694 votes to emerge second.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party (LP) Chairmanship candidate Loveday Ajo secured 79 votes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP candidate defeated the APC with a total margin of 5,607 votes.

Sule Magaji, the INEC Returning Officer for the Kuje Area Council Election, announced the final results on Sunday morning.

The FCT Area Council has a total of 68 constituencies for six chairmen and 62 councillors.

The election to the chairmanship positions was contested by 55 candidates (52 male and three female) while the vice-chairmanship consists of 47 male and eight female candidates sponsored by 14 political parties.

There were 363 candidates who contested for the councillorship positions comprising 332 males and 31 female contestants.

Overall, some 473 candidates and their running mates vied for 68 elective posts. (Pieced together from various NAN reports)

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