INEC Declares Bala Mohammed Bauchi Governor-Elect

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has been declared winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

The candidate of the Peoples Party won in 15 local government areas out of the 20 in the state to secure a second term.

Council Areas won by the governor include Alkaleri where he hails from, Kirfi, Bogoro, Dass, Tafawa Balewa, Ganjuwa, Itas Gadau, Zaki, Jama’are, Ningi, Dambam, Shira, Toro, Warji and Bauchi.

Bala defeated his closest rival and former Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress, who wom in Giade, Gamawa, Darazo, Katagum and Misau LGAs.

The Bauchi INEC Returning Officer and the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa state, Prof. Abdulkarim Mohammed, who announced the results election at the Collation Centre on Monday, said said Mohammed polled a total of 528,280 votes of Sadiq, who polled 432,272 votes.

Meanwhile, the New Nigeria People’s Party candidate, Senator Haliru Jika, came a distant third with 60,496 votes.

He disclosed that Bauchi State had a total of 2,749,268 registered voters while those who were accredited were 1,058,381.

He said:

“I, Prof. Abdulkarim Muhammad, Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, the Returning Officer of the Bauchi State governorship election, hereby certify that Bala Mohammed of the PDP having scored the highest votes and fulfilled the provisions of the law is hereby declared winner and is returned elected.”

The Returning Officer said that there were 1,034,379 valid votes.

He added that 15,221 votes were rejected while total votes cast were 1,049,600 votes.