The committee for the conduct of the House of Representatives primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State has clarified conflicting results from the exercise in the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, declaring Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi as the authentic winner.
The committee said one of the declarations in circulation after the exercise was fake and urged the public to disregard it, insisting that only the returning officer approved for the conduct of the election is recognised.
The clarification followed the announcement of two different results from the same primary, with each returning officer declaring a separate winner.
Earlier on Sunday, Barr. Nandom Andrew Kura, a returning officer for the exercise, declared Hon. Gagdi, the incumbent member representing the constituency, winner after polling 29,207 votes.
Another returning officer, however, declared Dr. John Tongshinen as winner of the primaries.
Kura said, “Five candidates took part in the exercise. The results as follows: Adamu Yusuf Gagdi scored 29,207 votes; Henry Goti, 293 votes; Zhiphion Chrysantus, 848 votes; Abbas Adamu, 430 votes; while John Tongshinen polled 372 votes, bringing total valid votes to 31,150.
“By the power bestowed on me, I hereby declare Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi winner of the primary election.” Kura said.
However, in a separate announcement in Pankshin on the same day, another returning officer, Daspan Ishaya, said Dr. John Tongshinen won the exercise with 29,968 votes, while Gagdi polled 5,849 votes and John Pia scored 51 votes.
Addressing the dispute, the chairperson of the committee for the conduct of the House of Representatives primary election in the state, Hon. Stella Oketete, said at a press briefing at the APC secretariat that only Barr. Nandom Andrew Kura was the duly approved returning officer for the constituency.
She dismissed the second declaration, describing it as unauthorised.
“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,” the Chairperson said.