Confusion trails Plateau Reps results as APC declares Gagdi as winner

Commotion has trailed the All Progressives Congress APC, primary election for Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam (PKK) Federal Constituency after the party’s Plateau Primaries Electoral Committee dismissed an earlier result and declared incumbent lawmaker Yusuf Gagdi as the winner.

The Chairman of the Committee, Stella Okotete, on Monday in Jos said the first announcement was unauthorized and had no validity.

Okotete, dismissed earlier results announced in Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam House of Representatives primary election, describing them as authorized.

She clarified that only the officially appointed returning officer had the power to declare the outcome.

“The only officially appointed returning officer, Nandom Andrew Kura, has the constitutional authority to declare the results of primary election.

“Any prior announcements made outside this mandate were invalid and should be disregarded”

Following the clarification, the recognized returning officer acted immediately.

Following the clarification, Kura who served as the duly recognized returning officer, officially declared Yusuf Gagdi as the winner of the APC primary election for PKK Federal Constituency, held on Saturday, the committee announced.

According to Kura, a total of 31,150votescwere cast during the direct primary election, with Mr. Gagdi polling 29,207 votes to defeat four other aspirants.

Gagdi speaking with journalists in Jos after being declared as the winner, insisted that the primary election was conducted across 36 wards in the constituency, according to him evidence from the exercise included accreditation records, photographs and video recordings.

The lawmaker alleged that the earlier declaration was made by someone without authority.

Gagdi also described the earlier declaration credited to Daspan Ishaya as fraudulent, noting that the individual was not appointed by the electoral committee and therefore lacked the authority to announce results.

“The Constitution and guidelines of the party clearly vest the power to appoint election officials in the electoral committee. Any declaration outside that authority is null and void”, Gagdi said

He also questions the legitimacy of the announcement, alleging inconsistencies in individual’s role during the election process.

Gagdi, who represents the constituency in the House of Representatives and chairs the House Committee on Navy, had rejected the earlier declaration shortly after it was announced.

The Pankshin/ Kanke/ Kanam Federal Constituency contest has emerged as one of the closely watched APC primary elections in Plateau State ahead of the 2027 election.

9News Nigeria correspondent reports that the committee’s decision to overturn the initial result won by Dr. John Tongshinen is said to have pitched Gagdi against the people of his constituency who have vowed to resist his candidature in the next general elections.

However, the reversal reportedly sparked celebrations in parts of Pankshin and Kanam local government area after the announcement of the revised result.

-9News Nigeria.