The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Sunday, August 19, 2018, declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Garba Ajiya, as the winner of Saturday’s bye-election into Takum 1 State Constituency.
The PDP candidate polled 10,725 to defeat his closest opponent and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Atem Ansho, who polled 3,268 votes.
Ayuba Daniel, the returning officer for the election, a senior lecturer with the Federal University Wukari, announced the result at the collation centre in Takum.
Flanked by the National Commissioner in charge of Borno Adamawa and Taraba, Ahmed Tijani, Taraba State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Baba Abba Yusuf and his Yobe State counterpart, Ahmad Makama, the returning officer said 73,183 voters registered in the constituency, but only 16,671 voters accredited and voted in the election.
Earlier, Baba Abba Yusuf, the Taraba State Resident Electoral Commissioner, in a remark, expressed happiness over the successful conduct of the election.
He commended the security agencies, Corps Members, party stakeholders and electorates for the peaceful conduct of the election.
Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, while reacting to the election, congratulated the PDP candidate for his victory at the poll and commended INEC and security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the election.
The Governor who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Hon. Emmanuel Bello, described the victory of his party as ‘victory for democracy.’
Ishaku called on the losers to accept the outcome of the result in good faith and for the winner to be magnanimous in victory.
State Secretary of the APC, Stephen Othaniel, said APC was intimidated in the election which he said was marred by ballot box snatching and vote buying.
“We are still studying the outcome of the election and we will come out with our position as party soon.
“But in summary, there was voter apathy, vote buying and intimidation of voters by PDP stewarts which is very bad for our democracy,” he said.
The seat of Takum 1 State Constituency became vacant following the murder of the former member representing the constituency, Hon. Hosea Ibi.
