The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the declaration of Ibrahim Danjuma, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) the winner of the Sabuwa state constituency bye-election conducted on Saturday November 30.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared that Danjuma Ibrahim of the APC scored 11,745 votes to beat his closest rival Ibrahim Shafiu of PDP, who scored 6160.

The Returning Officer said other candidates Sagir Isa Bako of MPN, got 11 votes, Idris Sabiu of NLDP7 votes, and Dahiru Ahmed of PDC 15 votes

He said the total accredited votes were 18572, total votes cast were 18,276, 17938 valid votes, while 338 rejected votes were recorded.

However, the Katsina state chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Salisu Majigiri, who announced the rejection Sunday shortly after the declaration of the final results by the Returning Officer, Dr Usman Adamu Bello of ABU, Zaria, at the INEC LG headquarter in Sabuwa, said the election was marred by irregularities, vote buying and substantial non compliance with the provisions of the electoral act.

He said the PDP and its candidate would soon challenge the results at the election petition tribunal when establish to retrieve their mandate

“We will go to court, because this election will not stand legal scrutiny, there were several cases of irregularities, including vote buying, and falsification of results”, he said.

But he was rebuffed by the Deputy Speaker of Katsina state House of Assembly, Alhaji Dalhatu Tafoki, who described the PDP as serial losers that would never ever accept electoral defeat in good faith both at the national and local levels.

“We thank God for this electoral victory, it demonstrates the implicit confidence the people have in APC and we shall strive to deliver on our mandates.

“The allegations by PDP is not new, it has turned their renewed political culture and hallmark, and we know they will always fail even at the courts’’

The bye election was conducted to replace the former occupant Mustapha Abdullahi, who died in a motor accident on July this year.