By Halimah Olamide
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has declared Dr Dikko Umar-Radda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the March 18 governorship election in Katsina State.
Announcing the result on Sunday in Katsina, the State Returning Officer, Prof. Muazu Abubakar-Gusau, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau, said Umar-Radda polled 859,892 votes to emerge the state governor-elect.
He said that Umar-Radda defeated his closet rival, Sen. Yakubu Lado-Danmarke of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) who scored 486,620 votes.
Abubakar-Gusau added that the election was contested by candidates from 13 political parties.
He said that the number of registered voters in the state was 3,516,719, while the number of accredited voters for the election was 1,399,291.
He added that the number of rejected votes was 20,579, while the total valid votes was 1,365,848 and the total votes cast was 1,386,427.
He said that the election was cancelled in 88 polling units due to some irregularities like violence and over voting.
“That I Prof. Muazu Abubakar-Gusau, declared that the election was contested by candidates.
“Having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, Dikko Umar-Radda of the APC is hereby declared winner and returned elected,” he said.