By David Lawani and Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has announced Suleman Sabo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP the winner of the February 12, 2022, Kuje Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The winner, Sabo, the Council’s incumbent chairman, who will now serve his second term in office, floored the other five candidates in each of the 10 wards in the area council.
He gathered a total of 13,301 votes to trounced his closest rival, Sarki Hamidu of the All Progressive Congress, APC, who secured 7,694 votes to emerge second.
By this, the PDP candidate won against the APC with a total difference of 5,607 votes.
The INEC Returning Officer for the Kuje Area Council election, Sule Magaji, declared the final results on Sunday morning.
As officially announced:
Kuje Central (ward 01)
APC – 1717
PDP – 3671
Chibiri (ward 02)
NIRSAL AD
APC – 1,172
PDP–1,839
Gaube (ward 03)
APC – 1793
PDP – 2,226
Kwaku ( ward 04)
APC :562
PDP :1450
Kabi (ward 05)
APC- 271
PDP-433
Rubochi (ward 06)
APC – 1047
PDP – 1506
Gwagwalada (ward 07)
APC- 365
PDP-583
Gudrun Karya (ward 08)
APC -420
PDP -1032
Kujekwa (ward 09)
APC-76
PDP-106
Yenche ( ward 10)
APC:271
PDP
Meanwhile, the INEC has also declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, John Gabaya, as the Chairman-elect of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Gabaya, who was re-elected for a second two-year term, trounced his closest rival, Audi Shekwolo of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He scored 13,045 votes, while Mr Shekwolo had 7,697 votes, according to the INEC Returning Officer, Amochi Madu, who announced the result on Sunday morning.
The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Abubakar Abdullahi, polled 603 votes to come a distant third position.
Although, the Saturday elections were held across the 62 wards/constituencies spread across Bwari, Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abuja Municipal Council, AMAC area councils of the FCT.
Also a total of 473 candidates sponsored by 14 political parties took part in the elections.
With the recent results, PDP has now won in two area councils – Kuje and Bwari while APC won only in Gwagwalada at the last count.
The results of the remaining three Area Councils are still being expected, despite some areas had serious challenges with BVAS.
Also, at the INEC office, PDP supporters are protesting an alleged manipulation of the results that have been so far declared from the various wards.
Speaking to journalists, a PDP chieftain and a diirector of media of PDP campaign council, said with the evidence received from all their agents, across the 12 wards of the Abuja Municipal Council Areas has shown clearly that PDP has won the election.
“Our good friends journalists, we are here talking to you as a matter of urgency, that the unnecessary delay by INEC to announce or declare the winner of this election, is giving us a great concern, and any attempt for them to manipulate it will be resisted”.
