By Sadiq Umar
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared inconclusive, the April 11 governorship elections in Taraba state.
A statement by the Commission in Abuja on Monday, said the “elections in Taraba has been declared inconclusive because the cancelled votes exceeds the margin between the top two candidates.”
The Commission further said supplementary elections will be held within 30 days.
The governorship elections in Taraba was keenly contested between Mrs Aisha Jumei Al-hasan, female and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Darius Ishaku, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer.
Earlier on Monday, there were jubilations in the state following speculations that the APC candidate was in an early lead.
However, the jubilation was short-lived when subsequent results show that APC polled 261,326 votes as against PDP’s 310,805.
Results from 15 local governments’ areas of the state have already been announced, and only one local government was left.
Similarly, the Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the governorship election in Imo state inconclusive.
The Returning Officer, Professor Ibidapo Obe, declared the election inconclusive because the number of cancelled votes (144,715) is higher than the margin of win (79,529) by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Rochas Okorocha,
In the results, Mr. Okorocha polled 385,671 while PDP candidate Emeka Ihedioha got 306,142 votes.
INEC is expected to reschedule elections in the areas that elections were cancelled due to electoral irregularities and malpractices.
