The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared the incumbent Governor of Plateau State and candidate of the APC, Simon Lalong, as the governor-elect in Plateau State.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Richard Anande, who declared the result, said Lalong got 595, 587 votes, while his closest rival and candidate of the main opposition PDP, Senator Jeremiah Useni, got 546, 813 votes.
It would be recalled that the electoral umpire (INEC) had earlier declared the election inconclusive because the difference between the two major contenders, APC and PDP, was less than the votes cancelled.
According to INEC, because the difference between the two major contenders is 44,929 is less than the cancelled votes of 49,347, the result cannot be declared.
“This according section 179 subsection 2, of the 1999 constitution as amended.”
It said the aforementioned cancelled votes were in Barkin Ladi (570), Bassa (3000), Bokkos (5, 314), Jos North (4, 152), Kanam (2, 627), Langtang South (5, 501), Mangu (26, 135), Pankshin (1, 144) and Shendam LGAs (851).
While declaring the winner, Returning Officer for the election and the Vice Chancellor of University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Prof. Richard Anande Kimber said; “Barrister Simon Bako Lalong of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of law and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
On the other hand, the State Assembly seat for Langtang South Constituency was won by Hon. Zimtim Sohchang of the PDP who scored 17, 984 votes to defeat the incumbent, Hon. Jackson Ponzhi Danladi of the APC who got 15, 041 votes.
However, below are results scored by the APC and PDP candidates in the supplementary polls:
1- Barkin Ladi LGA
APC- 41
PDP- 296
2-Jos North
APC- 274
PDP- 1, 036
3- Shendam
APC- 337
PDP- 80
4- Bassa
APC- 1, 040
PDP- 367
5- Kanam
APC- 944
PDP- 476
6- Pankshin
APC- 446
PDP- 151.
7- Bokkos
APC- 1, 342
PDP- 1, 337
8. Langtang South
APC – 14, 467
PDP – 18, 868
9. Pankshin
APC – 36, 215
PDP – 24, 939
10. Kanam
APC – 55, 338
PDP – 22, 432
source: Dailypost ng