Kaduna: Okada man wins Labour Party’s first Rep seat

Kaduna: Okada man wins Labour Party’s first Rep seat

Story from Saleh INUWA, Kano

Labour Party (LP) candidate, Mr Donatus Mathew, has been declared winner of the Kaura Federal Constituency election.

The Okada rider was declared winner of LP’s first Federal House of Representatives election in Kaduna State on Sunday by the returning officer, Professor Elijah Ella.

He said Mathew polled a total of 10,508 to defeat the incumbent member and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Gideon Lucas Gwani who came second with 10,297 votes.

Prof. Ella said the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) trailed with 9,919 votes, while that of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), secured 5,354 votes to come third and fourth respectively.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the declaring him winner of the poll, the member-elect, Mathew, thanked the electorate for the confidence reposed in him to represent them at the Green Chamber.

He, however, solicited for support and cooperation from the people, while pledging to carry everyone along to achieve the desired success.

Reacting to the results, the incumbent member who is also the Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, Mr Gideon Lucas Gwani, congratulated the member-elect and wished him well.

He urged his supporters to remain calm and accept the will of the electorate, even as he noted that God gives and takes power to and from whomever he pleases at the appropriate time.

A local source said: “Mathew didn’t do much campaign, he has few posters, he was once a councilor during Makarfi era, but later things went bad for him. He picked up Okada business, today he’s going to the Federal House of Reps. This is what Labour Party represents. It’s party for all, no preferential treatment.”