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From Gyang Bere, Jos
The All Progressives Congress (APC) party primary election for the by-election in Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau State has been declared inconclusive.
A frontline aspirant, Hon Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, polled a total of 344 votes and Hon Joseph Abe Aku, a former commissioner in the Lalong administration, scored 344 votes out of the 810 delegates accredited.
The Chairman of the electoral committee, Rt Hon Abu Ajiya, who announced the result in Jos on Wednesday, declared the party primaries inconclusive.
‘Hon Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande scored 344 votes and Hon Joseph Abby Aku also polled 344 votes,’ he stated.
‘I will transmit the result to the National party secretariat for further directive and we will get back to all the aspirants.’
Hon Ajiya was, however, silent on the number of votes scored by Hon Lumumba Dah Adeh and Dr Aliu Ademu who participated in the election.
It was observed that Kwande won the party primaries in Jos North Local Government Area with a landslide margin.
Hon Suleiman, speaking to reporters, said: ‘First, we came here at 9 am on Tuesday to start this primaries but the election started at about 10 pm and lasted till morning and we went for a break.
‘We came back and continue with voting, I don’t know how it will be a tie, as far as I am concerned, I won this election with a clear margin.
‘I know the forces that were against me, I entered into the race as a free citizen. I know how I help this party to come into power in Plateau and at the national level.
‘Hon Abe is my brother and it is sad that they are putting us at each other throats, this is an election that I won clearly, he knows it.’
Hon Joseph Abby Aku, a former commissioner, also claimed that he won the election.
He commended the electoral body for conducting a peaceful election and said, “I went out to go and eat and my agent was sending me text messages on what was going on.
‘He was sending me the results as the counting was going on, I had 367 votes, and when I was coming back, learn that we had a tie and, I ask, where are the 27 votes?’
The State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Sylvanus Namang, called for calm and said the national secretariat of the party will give the next instruction in line with the constitution of the party.
