Gov. Matawalle loses re-election bid to PDP’s Dauda Lawal

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Dauda Lawal, as the winner of the governorship election in Zamfara State.

The PDP candidate was declared the winner in Gusau, Zamfara State capital in the early hours of Tuesday with Lawal defeating the incumbent governor, Bello Matawalle by a wide margin.

READ ALSO: PDP candidates defeat Zamfara Speaker, deputy

The returning officer for the election, Professor Kashim Shehu, said Lawal polled a total number of 377,726 votes to defeat Matwalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 311,976 votes.

“I, Kashim Shehu, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the 2023 general elections held on the 18th of March, 2023 in Zamfara State,” Shehu said.

“I also certify that Lawal Dauda of the PDP having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and hereby returned governor-elect of Zamfara State.”

National Rescue Movement (NRM) candidate, Aliyu Dansadau, came a distant third with 2,416 votes, while Ahmed Yahuza of the Labour Party (LP) got 573. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) withdrew from the race earlier.

Zamfara State has 14 local government areas (LGA) out of which PDP’s Lawal won 10 while Matawalle of the APC won the remaining four.

Lawal won Anka, Bukkuyum, Shinkafi, Gusau, Tsafe, Gummi, Bungudu, Maru Kaura Namoda, and Zurmi while Matawalle won Maradun, Talata Mafara, Birnin Magaji, and Bakura local government areas.

Also, the Speaker of Zamfara State House of Assembly, Nasiru Muazu Magarya, and his deputy, Musa Bawa Musa Yankuzo, have lost their re-election bid to candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Bilyaminu Ismail of the PDP defeated Speaker Magarya with 11,213 votes against 9,530 votes.

While the Deputy Speaker of the state assembly, Yankuzo, lost his reelection bid to PDP’s Bello Muhammad Mazawaje, who scored 21,197 votes ahead of Yankuzo’s 13, 820 votes.

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