APC Clarifies PKK Reps Primary Results, Declares Yusuf Gagdi Authentic Winner
The committee overseeing the conduct of the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary election in Plateau State has dismissed conflicting results circulating from the exercise in the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, declaring Yusuf Adamu Gagdi as the authentic winner.
The committee stated that one of the declarations announced after the primary election was fake and urged members of the public to disregard it, insisting that only the returning officer officially approved by the party is recognised.
The clarification followed confusion arising from the announcement of two separate results by different returning officers, each declaring a different winner for the same primary election.
Earlier on Sunday, returning officer Nandom Andrew Kura announced that Hon. Gagdi, the incumbent lawmaker representing the constituency, won the exercise after polling 29,207 votes.
According to Kura, five candidates participated in the primary election.
He announced that Gagdi scored 29,207 votes, while Henry Goti polled 293 votes, Zhiphion Chrysantus secured 848 votes, Abbas Adamu got 430 votes, and John Tongshinen received 372 votes, bringing the total valid votes cast to 31,150.
“By the power bestowed on me, I hereby declare Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi winner of the primary election,” Kura stated.
However, in a separate declaration made in Pankshin on the same day, another returning officer, Daspan Ishaya, announced Dr. John Tongshinen as winner with 29,968 votes, while Gagdi reportedly scored 5,849 votes and John Pia polled 51 votes.
Reacting to the controversy during a press briefing at the APC secretariat, the chairperson of the committee for the conduct of the House of Representatives primary election in Plateau State, Stella Oketete, said only Barrister Nandom Andrew Kura was duly approved to conduct and announce the results for the constituency.
She described the second declaration as unauthorised and invalid.
“The returning officer approved by my committee that has gone to do fake declaration is null and void. The party has the list of approved returning officers. The returning officer for Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam is Barrister Nandom Andrew Kura,” Oketete said.
APC Clarifies PKK Reps Primary Results, Declares Yusuf Gagdi Authentic Winner