Lifeline for female governorship candidate, as INEC declares Taraba election ‘inconclusive’

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the governorship election in Taraba state inconclusive.

Muhammad Kyari, the Taraba state returning officer, declared the governorship election inconclusive because the number of cancelled votes was more than the margin between the candidates who placed first and second.

He said a supplementary election would be held within 30 days.

The Taraba state election has been one of the most keenly followed,  as the early lead taken by Aisha Jumei Al-hasan, a female and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), initially sparked jubilation that Nigeria was about to produce its first female governor.

But Aisha has now been overtaken by Darius Ishaku of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). With all but one local government to be announced, Aisha had polled 261,326 votes, while Ishaku had 310,805 to his name.

Before the election was finally declared inconclusive, her votes had risen to 262,386 votes, while Ishaku’s stood at 317,198.

This left a difference of 63,817 between the votes of the two candidates. Meanwhile, more than 100, 000 votes were cancelled.

Kyari’s announcement brings the total number of inconclusive elections to three, the other two being Abia and Imo states.