BY RIMI ALIU
THE Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Shehu Sale, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, winner of Saturday’s by-election for Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency of Niger.
Returning Officer, INEC, Prof. Tanko Baba of the Usman Danfodio University Sokoto, said Sale polled 22,965 votes to defeat Alamu Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party, who came second with 22,507 votes.
Yussuf Nasir, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress, polled 336 votes.
The All Progressives Congress did not participate in the election, having been disqualified.
Total number of registered voters, according to INEC, was 159,347, while the number of accredited voters was 46,734. Total valid votes were 45,808, total votes cast, 46,499 and rejected votes, 691.
While Prof. Samuel Egwu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Niger, commended the electorate for their peaceful conduct during and after the election, there were reports of violence and ballot box snatching in polling units in Ibeto and Rijau towns.
