The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Prof. Nora Daduut of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Plateau South senatorial by-election held on Dec. 5.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Prof Daduut, with the victory at the by-election, becomes the first female to be elected from the State into the Senate.
The by-election was conducted to fill the vacuum created by the death of Sen. Ignatius Longjan which occurred on Feb. 9.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Idris Amali, announced that Daduut polled 83,151 votes to defeat her closest challenger, Mr George Daika, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 70,838 votes; a margin of 12,313 votes.
“Daduut, having scored the highest number of votes cast and fulfilled the requirements of the law is hereby returned elected,” Amali said.
He said that the total number of accredited voters for the election was 159,191, while votes cast were 157, 803.
According to him, the valid votes were 155, 659 while 2,144 votes were rejected.
A breakdown of the results according to local governments as announced by the returning officer indicated that in Langtang North, the APC got 12, 241 votes, while PDP scored 16, 841votes.
In Langtang South the APC polled 9,321 against PDP’s 12, 439 votes.
In Mikang Local Government where the PDP candidate hails from, the APC scored 8, 425 votes, while PDP got 7, 887 votes.
In Shendam, the APC got 18, 542 votes, while PDP got 10, 223 votes; in Wase, APC got 21, 838 votes, while PDP scored 12,807 votes.
The result of Quan Pan, the home local government of the APC candidate, indicated that APC scored 12,784 votes, while PDP got 10, 641 votes.
Apart from the APC and the PDP, eight other political parties also participated in the election.
Lalong congratulates Plateau’s first female senator-elect, Dadu’ut
Meanwhile, the State Governor Simon Lalong has expressed excitements and congratulated Dadu’ut over her victory in the senatorial by-election for the southern zone of the state held on Dec. 5.
This is contained in a congratulatory message by the Governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPA), Dr Makut Macham, issued on Sunday in Jos.
Dadu’ut, who contested the election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged as the first female to be elected from the state into the red chamber.
She will replace late Sen. Ignatius Longjan, who died in February.
Dadu’ut polled 83, 151 votes to defeat her closest opponent, Mr George Daika, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 70, 838 votes.
According to the statement, Lalong described her emergence as “historic”, adding that the victory has shown that the ruling party is deeply rooted in the state
“The victory of Prof. Nora Dadu’ut is not surprising as the APC is well rooted in the whole state, particularly the Southern Senatorial District.
“I have no doubt she will give quality representation to the people of the zone and also represent the interest of the State at the red chamber,”he said.
He commended the INEC and the security agencies for working assiduously toward a successful election.
The Governor also thanked the electorate for conducting themselves peacefully and ensuring that the execise was devoid of violence and electoral malpractice.
He urged candidates of other political parties who lost at the polls to rally round the winner in the best interest of the zone and Plateau.