Saraki’s PDP Loses Kwara Bye-election To APC
Candidate of APC, Raheem Olawuyi, has been declared winner of the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency bye-election in Kwara, the home state of Senate President Bukola Saraki, who is a member of the PDP.
Returning officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Abimbola Adesoji, said Olawuyi polled 21, 236 to defeat his closest rival, PDP’s Saheed Damilare, who polled 18, 095.
Other contestants in the election were Femi Ona-Ara of Labour Party, Ajadi Olayemi of Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) as well as Olaniyan Ayorinde of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
There were some cancellations arising from snatching of ballot boxes and over voting in three polling units in Irepodun area.
The affected units as listed by the Presiding Officer in charge of the council included Registration Area (RA) 02 of Esie-Ijan Ward where two ballot boxes were reportedly snatched and 955 number of registered voters lost.
Other areas were Oro Ward 1 RA 02, Polling Unit 01 where a case of ballot snatching was recorded and a total of 297 registered voters were affected and over voting in Oro Ward 2 RA 10 Polling Unit 01 with 474 registered votes lost.
Election cancellation was also recorded in Ile Apaasin RA 04 Polling Unit in Isin Local Government where only 59 voters were accredited but turned in 377 votes.
