Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has been re-elected for a second term.
The Returning Officer for the rerun election, Prof Richard Kimbir, announced this on Sunday at the collation centre for the governorship election in Jos, the state capital.
According to him, the governor who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was returned elected after polling the highest number of votes in the keenly contested poll.
Lalong got a total of 595,582 votes ahead of his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Jerry Useni, who polled 546,813 votes.
He was declared the winner two weeks after the governorship election held on March 9 in Plateau and 28 other states in the country.
The states where election did not hold are Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Bayelsa, Kogi, and Anambra.
While winners emerged in some states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the governorship election in Plateau and five other states as inconclusive.
Kimbir had explained that the declaration was as a result of the margin of a lead of 44,929 between the APC and the PDP candidates, which was less than the 49,377 cancelled votes.
He added that this constrained him to return a winner but rather declare the poll inconclusive.
This led to the supplementary election which held in nine local government areas of the state on Saturday, March 23.
Reacting to his victory, Lalong said on Sunday that his administration would work with opposition political parties and every stakeholders for the development and prosperity of Plateau people.
He noted that he would not harrass, witch-hunt or intimidate his opponent, but will extend a hand of friendship to consolidate on the existing peace in the state.
“The outcome of the exercise in the state was clearly an amazing show of confidence and trust. It was also a referendum on our most cherished principles of Unity and Peace as well as affirmation of the desire to move to the Next Level.
“Moving to the next level in the light of equality and inclusiveness, which are core values fundamentally located in the heart of the Plateau spirit that speak to our sense of communality, diverse ethnicity, mutual respect, tolerance, peace, hospitality, humility and diligence.
“To my fellow contestants, who not only participated in the historic Gubernatorial Debate, prior to the elections and also contested with me, I wish to congratulate you for your matured conduct during and after our electioneering campaigns.
“I also extend my hands of friendship and urge you to share in the patriotic zeal of building a virile Plateau so that we can bequeath a positive and lasting legacy for the younger generations.”
He called on the citizens of Plateau to regard the victory at the polls as a victory for the whole Plateau with no victor and no vanquished.
He said the victory was a clarion call for consolidation on the gains of his administration and sustainable peaceful co-existence in the state.
“I urge all citizens to celebrate in harmony with even the opposition without harassment, intimidation and provocative statements against any person or group,” the governor stated.
He praised the courage and dexterity of INEC and security agencies for complying with electoral procedure, and for their contribution to the success and peaceful conduct of the election.
Lalong defeated Useni with a difference of 48,769 votes in the rerun poll.
Following are the results of the rerun elections in the affected councils:
Barkin Ladi LGA – APC: 041 PDP: 296
Jos North LGA – APC: 274 PDP: 1,036
Shendam LGA – APC: 337 PDP: 80
Bassa LGA – APC: 1,040 PDP: 367
Kanam LGA – APC: 944 PDP: 476
Pankshin LGA – APC: 446 PDP: 151
Bokkos LGA – APC: 1,342 PDP: 1,337
Mangu LGA – APC: 6,931 PDP: 3,520
Langtang South LGA – APC: 972 PDP: 1,224
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