The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, winner of the presidential election in President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state of Katsina.
Declaring the result, the Returning Officer for the state, Professor Mua’zu Abubakar Gusau, also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Gusau, said Abubakar secured a total of 489,045 to beat the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who polled 482,283 votes.
Atiku triumphed with a total difference of 6,752 votes.
The candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Mallam Rabiu Kwankwaso, came a distant third with 69,386. He was trailed by Labour Party flagbearer, Mr. Peter Obi, who secured 6,376 votes.
The PDP candidate won 13 out of the state’s 34 LGAs while Tinubu took 21 LGAs. Despite winning fewer LGAs, Atiku was still able to secure victory in the state which had voted President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019 with a landslide in support. Katsina State is also ruled by an APC Governor, Aminu Bello Masari.
Atiku pulled off victory in the state, winning Batsari, Mashi, Kurfi, Batagarawa, Dutsinma, Kusada, Mani, Kankia, Kankara, Bakori, Jibia, Katsina and Safana LGAs; and secured significant votes in the other LGAs.
Though the former governor of Lagos State won in Daura, Kafur and Dutsi local government areas where Messrs Buhari, Masari and Aviation Minister,Hadi Sirika hailed from, it was not enough to secure victory over Atiku in the state.
APGA – 1,391, NNPP – 69,386, Labour Party – 6,376, PRP – 1,986, SDP – 339, YPP – 1,029 and ZLP – and 371 votes, respectively.
The total number of registered voters in the state was 3,516,719 but only about a third of that number, 1,097,663 were accredited to vote.
According to the INEC Returning Officer in the state, elections were cancelled in certain polling units in Baure, Danmusa, Dutsinma, Funtua, Kafur, Kankara, Katsina, Kurfi, Kusada, Mai’adua, Malumfashi, Mashi, Sabuwa and Safana LGAs.
The cancellations were due to thuggery, insecurity, resistance, violence or over voting and obstruction.
