The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) candidate, Murtala Muhammad Kadage, has been elected to represent Garko Local Government in the Kano State House of Assembly.
INEC Returning Officer, Professor Suleiman Mudi, of Bayero University Kano, announced him as the winner shortly after the re-run election held in three polling units across the local government area on Saturday.
“Having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, I hereby declare Murtala Muhammad Kadage of the NNPP as the winner of the Garko Local Government state assembly election supplementary election,” Professor Mudi said.
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The re-run polling units were canceled due to over-voting, which led to the initial cancellation of Kadage’s victory.
In the previous election, the INEC Returning Officer, Sani Safiyanu, declared Kadage Muhammad of the NNPP the winner with a differential margin of 3,782 votes between him and his closest rival, Abba Ibrahim of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the electoral umpire denied Kadage the certificate of return, claiming that supplementary elections must be held in three polling units, namely Sanni Gabas I of Katumari Ward with registered voters of 739, Kutunka Arewa III of Sarina Ward with 747, and Zangon Barkono I of Sarina Ward with 729, totaling to 2,215. This was less than the margin between the two candidates, which stood at 3,782 votes as declared initially.
Reacting to his victory, Kadage expressed gratitude to the people of Garko Local Government Area for their support and promised to work for their interests.
“I am grateful to the people of Garko Local Government for their support, and I promise to work for their interests,” he said.
Meanwhile, the APC has yet to react to the outcome of the election.
