The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Danladi Halilu Envulu-Anza, winner of the Nasarawa North Senatorial By-Election.
The Returning Officer for the election, Aminu Ali, announced the result on Sunday at the College of Education, Akwanga, declaring Envulu-Anza duly elected after polling the highest number of votes cast in the election.
Announcing the final results, Prof. Ali said the APC candidate secured 45,362 votes to defeat his closest rivals in the keenly contested poll.
According to the results declared by INEC, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Labaran Maku, came second with 12,931 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, David Emmanuel Ombugadu, garnered 11,570 votes.
The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Stephen Alaku, polled 4,244 votes, while Ishaya Duba Dodo of the NDC scored 1,496 votes.
Similarly, the candidate of the NNPP, Paul Araneshri, received 102 votes.
Declaring the winner, Prof. Ali stated: “Having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, I hereby declare Barrister Danladi Halilu Envulu-Anza of the APC as the winner of the Nasarawa North Senatorial By-Election and return him elected.”
INEC further disclosed that a total of 332,810 voters were registered for the election, while 80,363 voters were accredited to participate in the exercise.
The commission said 75,705 valid votes were recorded, with 927 rejected votes, bringing the total votes cast to 76,632.
The declaration brings to an end weeks of intense political campaigns across the five local government areas that make up the Nasarawa North Senatorial District, with the APC retaining the seat following a decisive victory at the polls.
Supporters of the APC erupted in jubilation shortly after the announcement, celebrating the victory of their candidate at the collation centre in Akwanga.
The by-election was conducted under tight security and monitored by electoral officials, party agents and observers, with voting taking place across the senatorial district.
With his victory, Envulu-Anza is expected to represent Nasarawa North Senatorial District in the National Assembly of Nigeria, succeeding the occupant of the seat following the vacancy that necessitated the by-election.
