APC sweeps Gombe LG poll

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State has won all the 11 chairmanship and 114 councillorship seats in the state.

The party emerged victorious in the local council elections conducted by the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC), on Saturday.

Chairman of the commission, Saidu Shehu Awak, declared that all candidates fielded by the APC were returned elected.

According to him, the election was held peacefully across all the polling units in the 11 LGAs of the state.

Awak stated that the election was contested by five political parties, Accord Party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Young People Party (YPP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), but none of them won a single seat.

He also declared that the APC won all the 114 councillorship seats unopposed.

Those elected as chairmen are; Mohammed Danladi Adamu (Akko); Ibrahim Jatau Salisu (Balanga); Mrs. Egla Idris (Billiri); Adamu Mohammed Waziri (Dukku); Shuaibu Abdulrahman Adamu (Funakaye) and Sani Ahmad Haruna (Gombe).

Others are; Iliya Suleiman Jatau (Kaltungo); Ahmed Wali Doho (Kwami); Babangida Adamu Jigawa (Nafada); Fatima Binta Bello (Shongom) and Abubakar Hassan Difa (Yamaltu/Deba).

Meanwhile, it was observed that the election was conducted symbolically in a few selected polling units in the state. While the electoral materials were not delivered in majority of polling units in Gombe metropolis and other neighbouring towns and villages.

In most of the polling units visited, it was observed that neither electoral officers from the (GOSIEC), nor the voters turned up for the election.

In the few polling units where the voting took place, only few people were in queue to cast their votes, with most of the state residents going about their normal activities.

Most of the polling units in Nasarawo, Yelenguruza, Tudun Wada, Bolari, Pantami and some communities as observed by our correspondent, appeared empty with no sign of an election taking place throughout the election period.

Also, there was no restriction of movement as commercial activities were conducted as usual in the two major markets in Gombe metropolis, while shops and other businesses opened for their daily businesses.

However, Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya cast his vote at the Yahaya Umaru 10 polling unit in the premises of Government Science Secondary School, Gombe.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau, voted at his polling unit in Balanga LGA, while the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abubakar Muhammad Luggerewo, cast his vote at his ward in Akko LGA of the state.