The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Mr. Abubakar Audu, has died of undisclosed medical ailment hours after INEC declared the Kogi election in which he was leading inconclusive. Though family sources would not disclose the cause of death at press time, insiders said he died of hypertension which may have been triggered by the outcome of the election. He will be buried Monday, November 23.
The source said Mr. Audu had been on medication, adding that “our leader suffered a massive heart attack, collapsed and then died. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Kogi State guber polls inconclusive because the number of cancelled votes was over the number of votes separating the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kogi State, Abubakar Audu, and that of the PDP candidate, Idris Wada.
The INEC has just tallied the results of the 21 local governments area of the state and Audu Abubakar, a former governor of the state polled 240, 867 votes as against the 199, 514 votes scored by the incumbent Governor Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The result break down showed that APC won in 16 LGAs, while PDP won in 5 LGAs
APC won in Yagba East, Yagba West, Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu, Lokoja, Kogi, Okehi, Ajaokuta, Adavi, Ankpa, Igalamela/Odolu, Ofu, Olamaboro, Ibaji, Bassa and Idah. while PDP won in Omala, Dekina, Mopamuro and Ogori/Mangogo, Okene.
His death has thrown his party and INEC into a quandary as the Electoral Act is silent on the circumstance of the demise of a candidate when the election is inconclusive. This portends legal fireworks ahead as lawyers are already divided on what exactly should be the solution to the jigsaw.
