The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Saturday’s by-election for Lavun constituency in the Niger House of Assembly, Mr Jibrin Ndagi-Babba has won the election.
He polled 21,393 votes to defeat Mr Baba Yusuf-Dabban of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 20,802 votes.
The Returning Officer, Prof Emmanuel Raymond of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, announced the results on Sunday in Lavun.
“I, Prof Emmanuel Raymond, certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Lavun State Constituency re-run election in Niger held on Feb. 3.
“That Jibrin Ndagi-Babba of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law by securing 21,393 votes, I hereby declare him the winner,’’ he said.
Prof. Raymond said the Action Alliance (AA), scored two votes; the African Democratic Congress (ADC), scored 24 votes, while Action Democratic Party (ADP), scored 87 votes.
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 32 votes; Action Peoples Party (APP) scored four votes; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) scored 855 votes, while the National Rescue Party (NRP) scored 30 votes.
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) scored 27 votes; Social Democratic Party (SDP) scored 21 votes, while Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) scored six votes, he added.
The returning officer also declared that the total valid votes at the election numbered 43,464; rejected votes were 846, while total votes cast were 44,310.
At the 2023 general elections, Yusuf-Dabban of the PDP won the election with more than 18,000 votes and a margin of 1,580 votes between him and Ndagi-Babba of the APC who scored 17,000 votes.
Some irregularities led to the cancellation of the election in 32 polling units having more than 18,000 registered voters.
Ndagi-Babba consequently filed a law suit to challenge the PDP candidate’s victory.
On Nov. 24, 2023 the Appeal Court upheld the judgment of the tribunal directing a rerun in nine registration areas across 32 polling units in the constituency. (NAN)