Zamfara: INEC Finally Confirms PDP Governorship Candidate, Others Duly Elected

By Uche Mbah

The Independent National Election Commission, INEC, after an emergency meeting on Friday, 24 May 2019, ratified all The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidates in Zamfara state.

These include the Governorship and Deputy Governorship Candidates. This has put to rest fears that a constitutional crisis may ensue from the Supreme Court rulings.

The Supreme Court has ruled that all votes cast for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the just concluded general elections were “wasted votes”, and therefore candidates of the party that came second should be declared winners. PDP came second in all the Governorship elections.

But there were palpable fears constitutional crisis because the governorship candidate was said not to have garnered 25% in two thirds of the local governments.

But it appears INEC is prepared to avert the constitutional crisis by declaring the the PDP candidate, Bello Mutawalle winner of the governorship elections.

INEC is the final arbiter on election issues, and only Courts can overturn their decisions.

INEC has initially said they will address the issues on Monday, 27th May 2019, after they have deliberated on the issues and consulted their Legal Advisers.

But they came up with a position earlier than scheduled.

There were fears that there may be a rerun, at least on the Governorship issue.

According to INEC Chairman, Mahmud Yakubu, all elected candidates will receive their certificate of return on Monday.