By Kateng Daniel, Jos
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared the party primary for Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency bye-election inclusive.
Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Habu Saje, who announced the result in Jos on Wednesday said Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande polled 344 votes while Joseph Abby Aku also scored 344 votes respectively out of the 810 delegates accredited.
Saje however, did not announced the votes scored by Hon. Lummum Dah Adeh and Dr. Aliu Adamu.
He said that at the end of the exercise, four aspirants contested and delegates cast their votes with Hon. Joseph Abbey Aku and Hon. Suleiman Yahaya Kwande both scored 344 votes each prompting the electoral committee to declared the exercise inconclusive.
According to him, “Two contending aspirants tied, each got 344 votes and in my capacity as an electoral committee officer of the panel, I cannot take a definite decision on this matter.
“I have to refer this matter to the head office (National Secretariat of the APC), now the head office will take a decision and communicate to the aspirants without delay taking into consideration that time is against us”
Hon. Suleiman Yahaya Kwande who spoke to Journalists after the result was declared, said “I don’t know how it would be a tie, but as far as I am concerned, I won this election fair and squarely. I won with a clear margin, I know the forces that were against me.
“Nobody can force me to do what I don’t want to do. I am highly disappointed, I am not happy, I have been part of this party; I have helped in building the party to win election in the state and at the National level.
“It is sad that they are putting two of us at each other throats, it is very unfortunate. This is an election that they know I won clearly”.
In his reaction, Hon. Joseph Abbey Aku said “the messages my agent sent to me shows I pulled 367 votes as against 344. I won with a gap of 27 votes, where are the other 27 votes? My agent is here, he sent those messages to me, he is my agent, after counting he sent the result to me.”
The state publicity secretary of APC, Hon Sylvanus Namang told newsmen that all the contestants were given level playing ground which was why the processes went on free and fair.
“It is unfortunate we have this stalemate. And as it is, only the national secretariat of the party can resolve this stalemate, the party at the state has no say in this stalemate”
Namang however said the national secretariat is likely to order a re-run for the two aspirants with the highest votes. In this case, between Hon. Suleiman Kwande and Hon Abbey Aku.
