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| Abdullahi Ganduje |
Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, has expressed confidence that his margin of victory would surpass that of President Mohammadu Buhari when polls closed in Kano.
He said this while speaking to reporters soon after casting his ballot at his Ganduje Chikin Gari Ward Polling Unit 008, in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of the state at 10.30 am on Saturday.
The governor who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, said, “I am sure of victory. I am sure of getting more votes than what President Buhari got during the Presidential election.
“The turnout is very impressive. People came out en masse, particularly women. I am satisfied with the security arrangements. Also, I have to commend INEC officials, as they came out early, with all the required materials.”
Speaking in a similar vein, his main challenger, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Abba Yusuf, cast his ballot at his Chiranchi Ward, Gwale Local Government Area of the state at about 11am.
He did so after a rowdy altercation between his supporters and those of the state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas.
The polling units of the two political bigwigs are located within the same ward. It was not clear what caused the altercation but security officials intervened to prevent the situation from getting out of hand.
Voters turned out in their numbers in most of the polling units visited in Nasarawa, Gwale, Municipal Fagge, Ungogo, Dawakin Tofa, and Wudil local government areas of the state.
It was observed that voters started trooping out to their polling booths as early as 6am to participate in the Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Security operatives were sighted at strategic locations enforcing the restriction of human and vehicular movement across the state.
The State Police Command also confirmed the arrest of two people, with a vehicle loaded with thumb-printed ballot papers within Kano metropolis.
Confirming the arrest, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Haruna Abdullahi, said the vehicle was intercepted at Magwan polling unit in Nassarawa Local Government Area.
He said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area, who reported the matter, was directed to move the vehicle to the police command.
Abdullahi said, “The vehicle is under police custody, while investigation has commenced to ascertain those behind the act, so that they can face the wrath of the law.”
Although voting started on schedule in most parts of the state, it started after 8am in other areas. For example, voting which started at polling units in Giginyu Primary School polling centre, Nasarawa Local Government Area, at 8.10am ended at exactly 2:00pm
Sorting and counting of votes commenced in most of the polling units visited as of 5.21pm.
