Gombe: INEC presents Certificates of Return to Yahaya, 25 others

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, presented Certificates of Return (CoR) to the winners of the March 18 Governorship and State Assembly election in Gombe State.

The Commission presented certificates to the governor-elect, Inuwa Yahaya, deputy governor-elect, Manassah Jatau and the 24 lawmakers-elect.

INEC National Commissioner in charge of Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba, Dr Baba Bila assisted by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Gombe State, Umar Ibrahim supervised the presentation exercise.

Earlier, Ibrahim said the presentation of the CoR was in line with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act under Section 72 Subsection (1).

He congratulated the winners, saying that their victory was a mandate from the people to deliver good governance.

“I use this opportunity to congratulate the governor-elect, deputy governor-elect and other elected representatives.

“I urge you to see your election as an indication of the confidence reposed in you by your constituents and a debt you must repay by delivering the dividends of democracy to them,” he said.

Ibrahim commended the stakeholders for their contributions towards the successful conduct of the elections in the state.

Also speaking, Yahaya thanked the stakeholders for their efforts towards ensuring free, fair, peaceful and credible polls in the state.

He said his re-election was an opportunity to consolidate on the gains of his first administration towards meeting the needs of his people.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 342,821 votes to defeat his closest rival Jibrin Barde of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 233,131 votes.

The APC won 20 of the 24 seats of the House of Assembly while PDP clinched four.