The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Committee on the House of Representatives primary election in Plateau State, Stella Okotete, has dismissed the earlier result announced for the Pankshin, Kanke, Kanam federal constituency election, describing it as unauthorised.
The committee subsequently declared the incumbent lawmaker representing the constituency, Yusuf Gagdi, winner of the primary election.
One Daspan Ishaya had earlier on Monday announced a different result indicating that John Tongshinen won the election and that Gagdi lost the party’s ticket.
However, Okotete, while addressing journalists on Monday in Jos, clarified that only the officially appointed returning officer, Nandom Andrew Kura, possessed the constitutional authority to declare the result of the primary election.
She said the result announced by Ishaya was invalid and should be disregarded.
Following the clarification, Kura, who served as the duly recognised returning officer, officially declared Gagdi winner of the election conducted on Saturday.
According to the result announced by Kura, Gagdi polled 29,207 votes to defeat four other aspirants.
Addressing journalists shortly after he was declared winner, Gagdi said the exercise was duly conducted across the 36 electoral wards in the constituency.
He added that accreditation records, videos, and photographs were available to support the credibility of the process.
The lawmaker dismissed claims of multiple results, stating that he was only aware of two announcements, one of which had now been confirmed as illegitimate.
Gagdi further alleged that the earlier declaration attributed to Ishaya was fraudulent, noting that the individual was neither appointed by the electoral committee nor authorised to announce the result.
“The constitution and guidelines of the party clearly vest the power to appoint election officials in the electoral committee. Any declaration outside that authority is null and void,” he said.
The lawmaker also questioned the credibility of the unauthorised announcement, alleging inconsistencies in the individual’s role during the election process.
Gagdi wins Plateau APC reps primary as committee disowns earlier results
