INEC confirms Olawuyi of APC winner of Kwara bye-election
By Yinusa Ishola/Omu Aran
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday night confirmed Raheem Olawuyi, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the vacant House of Representatives seat for Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero constituency in Kwara state.
Olawuyi emerged in the bye-election held today.
INEC’s Chief Returning Officer for the poll, Prof. Abimbola Adesoji, said Olawuyi got 21,236 votes, followed by PDP candidate Saheed Alatise, with 18,095 votes.
The Labour Party had 150 votes, the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) 76 votes and UPN 42 votes.
Professor Adesoji, from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, said out of the 40,930 total votes cast, the total number of valid votes was 39,599 while 1,331 votes were rejected.
The result was declared at the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Omu-Aran.
Other contestants in the election are 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).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some cancellations arising from snatching of ballot boxes and over voting were reportedly experienced in three polling units of Irepodun Local Government Area of the constituency.
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; are Oro Ward 1, RA 02, Polling Unit 01 where a case of ballot snatching was recorded and total of 297 registered voters affected and also over voting in Oro Ward 2, RA 10, Polling Unit 01 with 474 registered voters lost.
Election cancellation was also recorded in Ile Apaasin, RA 04, where only 59 voters were accredited but turn in 377 votes.
Some Independent National Electoral Officers were confirmed to have been attacked and inflicted with wounds in the process of carrying out the dastardly act.
NAN reports that the declaration of the results was witnessed by notable officials that included the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Fafowora, INEC – RECs from Kwara, Malam Garuba Madami, Imo State, Mr Emeka Nzeonu and Lagos State, Mr Sam Olumeko.
