The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Sokoto state, Governor Aminu Tambuwa, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare him the winner of the March 9 election.
The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Dutse (FUD), Jigawa, Prof Fatima Muktar, had declared that Tambuwal polled 489, 558 votes while his closest rival, Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu of the APC scored 486, 145 votes.
The state returning officer said the decision was because the 75, 403 cancelled votes in 136 polling units was higher than the 3, 413 margin difference between Tambuwal’s score and that of the APC candidate.
However, reacting to INEC’s decision declaring the March 9 governorship election in Sokoto state inconclusive, Tambuwal in a special broadcast Monday in Sokoto, adduced Section 179(2) of the constitutional and INEC guidelines, stating that these were explicit on governorship elections.
Though the governor said the INEC was yet to communicate to him the reasons for cancellation of votes in the 136 polling units, he said it was necessary to draw the attention of the electoral umpire to its guidelines for the exercise.
He stated that the issue of margin difference was technical and alien to the Nigerian constitution which stipulates a simple majority and 25 per cent of votes cast in a two-thirds majority of states of the federation, as basis for determining a winner.
“This technical reason of margin differences has not been applied in Osun and Ekiti elections,” Tambuwal said arguing that since he secured the higher number of votes at the concluded election he ought to have been declared the winner.
Nonetheless, he said he would be willing to participate in a re-run.
“We are ready to participate in the proposed re-run election and also challenge the decision at the court if the needful is not done. We expect INEC to come out boldly and do the needful by declaring the winner.
“I believe that we won the election. INEC and its officials have names to protect by doing the right thing at the right time,” he said.
While commending PDP supporters in Sokoto state for not only coming out en masse to vote for him and conducting themselves peacefully, he urged them to repeat same when the re-run came up.
Also, he praised the security agencies and other participating organs at the election for their commitment that ensured successful and peaceful conduct of the election.
