Sokoto: Buhari runs neck and neck with Atiku

Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won Silame and Isa local governments in Sokoto state, while President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won Wurno.

Results of the three councils were declared at the presidential election collation centre on Sunday night.

In Silame, Abubakar polled 13, 949 votes and President Muhammadu Buhari scored 10, 910 out of 25,875 votes cast during Feb. 23, presidential and National Assembly elections.

The Silame Local Government Returning Officer, Dr Yarima Musa of Pharmaceutical Science Department of Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto presented the result.

Musa said 675 votes were invalidated while other remaining votes were shared among the participating parties accordingly.

The Returning Officer of Wurno local government area, Dr Francis Patrick, said APC scored 20, 307 while PDP scored 9, 847 out of 33, 048 total votes cast in the presidential election.

Prof. Bello Zaki-Abubakar, the Returning Officer of Isa local government area said PDP scored 17, 892 votes while APC obtained 15, 264 votes out of the 35, 372 valid votes .

However, an agent of APC, Abdurahman Sani, objected to the admissibility of the result because no voting took place at ‘Yanfako and Kagara Makaranta polling units as the residents had relocated following threats by bandits.

The Chief Returning Officer of the state, Prof. Yahuza Bello, who is the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano directed the question to Council’s Electoral Officer, Mr Abubakar Aliyu.

Aliyu said he received the complaint letter and sought advice from the security officers.

He claimed the election materials, on the advice of the traditional ruler of the area, were taken to Kamarawa village, where voting commenced. He said he later directed the election officials to relocate voting to the stipulated places.

Prof. Bello said the incident report would include the explanation in his submission, according the electoral regulation.

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The results of the remaining 20 local government areas are being collated