Nyako re-elected governor of Adamawa.

Murtala Nyako, retired admiral, has been re-elected governor of Adamawa State, in the election held yesterday, amidst a possible legal challenge that it violated the Nigerian constitution and the electoral act 2010.

Nyako was first elected governor in 2007, but the courts annulled the poll after he had spent some years. When he was re-elected in a re-run, his term ought to have ended in May 2011, but he remained in the saddle until 10 days ago, when the Supreme Court tenure illegal.

Lawyers have indicated a plan to challengE the poll as INEC did not give the mandatory 90 day notice

Yesterday’s poll saw Nyako coasting home to victory, winning 302, 953 votes to beat his Action Congress of Nigeria challenger, Markus Gundiri, who polled 241, 023 votes.

The candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Buba Marwa, touted a stronger challenger, was only able to win 107, 564 votes.

Nyako won 14 of the 21 local governments while the ACN candidate prevailed in eight.

By winning the majority of votes and 25 per cent of votes in two-thirds of the local government areas in the state, Nyako has fulfilled the constitutional requirements to be pronounced winner.

Marwa, a former military administrator of Lagos State and presidential aspirant, was not able to win a single local government. He was roundly defeated in his home local government of Michika.

The ACN returning officer , Mr. Sonny, alleged there were alterations in some result sheets and hinted that his party might challenge the result in court.

The President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has congratulated the Governor-elect of Adamawa State, Alhaji Murtala Nyako, on his victory in the state’s gubernatorial election.

The President also congratulated the Peoples Democratic Party, the platform on which Nyako stood for the election.

The PDP also produced Jonathan.

In a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan said: “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan heartily congratulates Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd.) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on his victory in Saturday’s governorship election in Adamawa state.

“President Jonathan urges Admiral Nyako to receive the fresh mandate given to him by the people of Adamawa State for a second term in office as a call to further duty in the service of his people and an immense opportunity to carry forward the policies, projects and programmes initiated during his first term to promote progress and development in Adamawa State.

“The President looks forward to continuing to work harmoniously with Admiral Nyako and the government of Adamawa State on the implementation of the federal government’s agenda for national transformation.

“He commends PDP National Executive Council members, members of the state executive of the party and all stakeholders of the party in Adamawa for working very hard to ensure that Admiral Nyako won convincingly on Saturday.

“President Jonathan also congratulates the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the nation’s security agencies for the peaceful and successful conduct of the elections.

“He urges them to keep up the good work in other governorship elections scheduled to hold in Bayelsa State, Cross River State and Sokoto State this month.

Adamawa Governorship Election Peaceful

PRELIMINARY results in yesterday’s governorship election in Adamawa State showed candidates of the three major political parties in a neck-to-neck showing.

While the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Markus Guniri, was taking an early lead in few local governments areas that were initially released, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former Governor, Murtala Nyako, was contending seriously behind him.

Also, General Burba Marwa (rtd) of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), was making a not-too-distant third.

The results of the majority of the polling units in Nunman Local Council shows that Markus was leading in all the units except two. The party also led in all the polling units in Lamurde, except Lafia ward, which was won by the PDP.

The election recorded high turn out of voters, although the exercise commenced late because of late arrival of logistics.

When The Guardian contacted the INEC Commissioner in the state, Mr. Kassim Gaigam, he said the Commission was putting all preparations on ground to make sure the exercise was successful.

In Ajiya, Yola North, where former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku voted, accreditation had not commenced as at 9am when The Guardian visited. INEC officials were not on ground to attend to voters who were already waiting.

The exercise was peaceful and there was no record of ballot box snatching.