From Teryima Ajijah, Jos
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nora Dadu’ut has been declared winner of the Plateau South Senatorial bye-elections, held Saturday at the senatorial district, in six local government areas.
The returning officer for the Plateau South Senatorial bye-elections, Prof. Idris Amali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lafia, announced the results at the Shendam zonal collection centre Sunday on behalf of the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC).
Prof. Nora Dadu’ut defeated the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), George Daika with 83,151 votes; while the latter scored 70,838 votes.
The PDP candidate, George Daika had defeated his rival at Langtang South Local Government Area with 12,439 votes but lost at his local government council of origin, Mikang, to the APC candidate who scored 8,425 votes in Mikang Local Government Area.
Prof. Nora Dadu’ut narrowly escaped defeat by the PDP at her local government council of birth, Quanpan. She got, 12,784 votes, the PDP candidate came close with 10, 641 votes.
Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who voted at his ancestral home in Ajikamai village of Shendam Local Government Area alongside his wife on Saturday told journalists that the election was peaceful, and charged citizens to sustain the tempo for a peaceful process.
Earlier, same Saturday, Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, in an interview, shortly after casting her vote at Shendam central polling station, sued for peace between the winner and the possible looser.
“It’s not a do or die affair, winners should embrace the looser, also, the looser should endeavor to accept defeat.” Tallen advised.
There was low turnout of voters in most places monitored, however, the election was generally peacefully at most polling units visited Saturday.
Below is details of the election results as compared by electoral officials.
“LANGTANG NORTH
APC: 12,241
PDP: 16,841
LANGTANG SOUTH
APC: 9,321
PDP: 12,439
MIKANG
APC: 8,425
PDP: 7,887
SHENDAM
APC: 18,542
PDP: 10,223.
QUAN-PAN LGA
APC: 12,784
PDP: 10, 641.
WASE
APC: 21,838
PDP: 12,807
TOTAL
APC: 83,151
PDP: 70,838.
With the results, and subsequent declaration by INEC, Prof. Nora Dadu’ut have been made the first female senator from Plateau State since inception of democratic rule in Nigeria.
Apart from APC and PDP candidates, eight other political parties participated in the Plateau South bye-election, the political parties had signed a peace accord in the presences of notable clergies to be peaceful before, during and after the election.
