The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has won the presidential election in Katsina State, home to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Atiku polled a total of 489,045 votes to defeat his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, who polled 482,283 votes.
The candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, came in third with 69,386 votes, followed by the Labour Party flagbearer, Peter Obi, who polled 6,376 votes.
PDP’s Atiku was declared the winner of the poll by the Returning Officer of the state, Prof. Mua’zu Abubakar Gusau, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Gusau, at the INEC Presidential Election Collation Centre in Katsina.
The PDP candidate won 13 out of the state’s 34 LGAs with APC’s Tinubu winning 21 LGAs. Despite winning fewer LGAs, Atiku was able to secure victory in the state which had voted by a landslide in support of President Buhari in 2015 and 2019 and which also has an APC Governor, Aminu Bello Masari.
The other parties polled: APGA – 1,391, NNPP – 69,386, LP– 6,376, PRP – 1,986, SDP – 339, YPP – 1,029 and ZLP – and 371 votes.
The total number of registered voters in the state was 3,516,719 but only 1,097,663 were accredited to vote.
According to prof. Gusau, elections were cancelled in certain polling units in Baure, Danmusa, Dutsinma, Funtua, Kafur, Kankara, Katsina, Kurfi, Kusada, Mai’adua, Malumfashi, Mashi, Sabuwa and Safana LGAs.
The cancellations were due to thuggery, insecurity, resistance, violence or over voting and obstruction.