From Tongnaan Bawa Jos
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Electoral Committee for the Plateau State primaries, Stella Okotete, has confirmed Yusuf Gagdi as the winner of the party’s House of Representatives primaries for the Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam Federal Constituency.
Okotete dismissed earlier reports alleging that Gagdi lost the primary election, describing the claims as unofficial and unauthorized.
According to her, only the duly appointed returning officer for the PKK APC primaries, Andrew Kura, has the authority to declare the authentic result of the election.
She maintained that the declaration earlier made by Barrister Kura, which returned Gagdi as winner of the exercise, remains the valid and recognized outcome of the primaries.
“The announcement of Gagdi’s alleged defeat was made by unauthorized persons and does not represent the official position of the party,” Okotete stated.
The clarification followed conflicting reports that generated tension among party supporters and political stakeholders across the constituency.
Meanwhile, an APC aspirant involved, Rt Hon Yusuf Adamu Gagdi in the contest, while speaking to journalists at the State Party Secretariat also rejected what he described as fake and fraudulent results circulating from the election.
He insisted that the primary election was properly conducted across the 36 electoral wards in the constituency and that Barrister Andrew Kura validly declared the authentic result.
According to him, the chairman of the electoral committee had confirmed that officials were deployed to all eight federal constituencies in Plateau State for the exercise.
Gagdi further alleged that one returning officer, (name withheld) was accused of issuing a parallel result, was not authorised to conduct the PKK election, claiming he had been assigned to supervise the exercise in Mangu Federal Constituency on the same day.
“We have videos and photographs from the exercise as evidence, and the party constitution clearly empowers only appointed officials to conduct and declare election results,” the aspirant said.
He called on journalists and party supporters to rely on what he described as the authentic declaration made by the officially appointed returning officer.
Our correspondent reports that Political observers described the latest clarification by the APC electoral committee has further strengthened Gagdi’s position ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections in Plateau State.
There were jubilation by the supporters of Hon Yusuf Adamu Gagdi at the Kalwa party Secretariat which was seen colourful wearing his branded T shirts and face caps.