By Muhammad Nasir
Sokoto March 19, 2023
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the governorship election in Sokoto State.
Prof. Armaya’u Hamisu, the INEC Returning Officer, made the declaration after collation of the election results from 23 Local Government Areas of the state, on Sunday in Sokoto.
Hamisu, who is also the Vice Chancellor Federal University Dutsin-ma, said Aliyu won the election with 453,661 votes.
He said that Malam Sa’idu Umar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 404,632 votes.
The Returning Officer said a total of 17 political parties took part in the election.
He added that out of the 2,172,056 registered voters in the state, 901,513 voters were accredited for the election.
The returning officer said the number of valid votes was 864,419 while rejected votes stood at 15,357.
“Votes scored by political parties are: AA 66 votes; AAC 207 votes; ADC 329 votes; ADP 1,429 votes; APC 453,661 votes;, APGA 861 votes and APM 232 votes.
“Others are APP 155 votes;, BP 101 votes;, LP 251 votes; NNPP 427 votes; NRM 927 votes;, PDP 404,632 votes; PRP 522 votes;, SDP 286 votes;, YPP 212 votes and ZLP 113 votes.”
Hamisu said that the election was conducted in accordance with the law.
“That Ahmed Aliyu of APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law is declared the winner and returned elected,” he added.
Meanwhile, Senator Aliyu Wamakko (APC- Sokoto North), the leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State has urged the party’s supporters to behave maturely and conduct peaceful victory rallies in the state.
Wamakko made the call shortly after the official declaration of the March 18 Governorship election result by the INEC in Sokoto on Monday.
The APC leader, in a statement issued to newsmen by Bashar Abubakar, his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, appreciated the people of Sokoto State and the party’s stakeholders.
“We have seen a peaceful contest that led to the victory of APC.
“Our stakeholders have shown dedication to the party’s standard as a peace loving party in the state and the country, we should sustain the tempo,” Wamakko was quoted as saying.
Wamakko, a former Governor of the state expressed gratitude to the Almighty Allah for granting APC a hard-fought victory.
He dedicated the victory to the peace loving people of the state, saying they stood with the party through thick and thin.
The lawmaker assured the people of the state that they will never regret reposing tremendous confidence and trust in the APC at all levels.
He pledged that the APC government under Aliyu will be a real government of the people, for the people and by the people.
