INEC Declares Taraba Bye-election Inconclusive

Even though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Saturday’s bye-election inconclusive, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for Jalingo/Yoro/Zing federal constituency Hon Innocent Jabanyang defeated the deputy governor of Taraba State Aminu Arkari and the speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Kizito Bonzena in Zing local government area.

Arkari and Kizito are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the council.

In the council, the SDP scored 6,299 votes while PDP got 3,595 votes.

The election was finally declared inconclusive by the state returning officer, Prof Daniel Ayuba at about 6:35 pm when he announced the overall results of the three local government areas on Sunday in Jalingo, the state capital.

Ayuba said Hon. Sadique Adamu Abbas, the candidate of PDP polled the highest votes in the election of 17,214 while Jabanyang received 15,537 votes.

“With the provision of the Electoral Law, the commission shall conduct a supplementary election since the margin between the PDP and the SDP is less than the number of votes cancelled during the election.

“The candidate of the PDP scored 17,214 while the candidate of the SDP polled 15,537, the difference between the two political parties is 1,677 while the number of cancelled votes is 14,759.

“The election is therefore declared inconclusive, the commission shall fix a date for the rerun. The law said the rerun will be between the highest scorer and the second runner up in the election, in this case, the supplementary election is between the PDP and the SDP,” he said.