PDP wins Oyo, Katsina bye-elections

By Jackson Udom, Akin Durodola, Adeolu Adeyomo - 28.01.2008

PEOPLES Democratic Party(PDP) candidates in the bye-election for the Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Mr. Oyetunji Omotayo and that of Safana-Danmusa-Batsari federal constituency in Katsina State, Alhaji Ahmed Dayyabu, have been declared the winners of the electoral contest by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In Oyo State, according the result released by the INEC and signed by the Returning Officer, Mr. Ofondu Haruna, the PDP candidate polled 17,507 to beat the Action Congress (AC) candidate, Alhaji Bashiru Latinwo who polled 4,906 votes, while the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate, Egbedeyi Olufemi, polled 2,347.

The Action Alliance (AA) candidate, Are Arowolo, polled 115 votes, followed by the National Conscience Party’s (NCP’s) candidate, Okunola Rufai, with 23 votes, Democratic People Alliance (DPA) candidate, Lajide Olatunde, 20 votes and United Nigeria People Party (UNPP) candidate, Adeleke Adebola, polled 12 votes.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after he was declared the winner at the Ibadan office of INEC, Mr. Omotayo described his victory as a confirmation that the party won convincingly.

Reacting to the Saturday’s election, the Oyo State governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, described it as another resounding victory for the PDP while the Action Congress (AC) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) condemned it and called for its cancellation with immediate effect.

In Katsina State, a statement signed on Sunday by the INEC spokesman, Alhaji Lawal Sani, said that Dayyabu scored 151,576 votes.

The Action Alliance (AA) and National Democratic Party (NDP) candidates, Alhaji Zayyana Dan-tsuntsu and Alhaji Garba Izma, scored 2,458 and 2,351 votes respectively, the statement said.