PDP wins Gombe Assembly bye-election

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the Gombe state House of Assembly byeelection in Dukku north constituency. Th e election was conducted on Saturday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the death of Gambo Kabade of the PDP on June 29. Although the election was contested by seven parties, it was expected to be a close race between the governing PDP in Gombe and the All Progressives Congress, APC. Announcing the result at the Government Girls Secondary School, Malala, at midnight on Sunday, the Returning Offi cer, Mohammed Sa’idu, said Sa’idu Malala of the PDP was elected with 7, 060 votes, while the APC candidate, A. Inuwa, got 4, 022 votes. Th e returning offi cer, therefore, declared Malala the winner, having scored the highest votes and defeated his six other contestants. Other parties that contested the election were Accord Party, with eight votes; Action Alliances with eight votes; ADPN with 31 votes; GPN with 29 votes and LP with 29. Th e returning offi cer also said elections at three polling units at Malala ward were cancelled as the total votes cast were higher than the total number of accredited voters there. (NAN)