A 26-year-old lady, Rukayat Shittu, has been declared the winner of the Kwara State House of Assembly election.
Shittu is a former Senate President of the Congress of Students at the National Open University of Nigeria.
In the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s returning officer, Professor Hakeem Ijaya, the 26-year-old, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 7,521 votes to beat her Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival, who polled 6,957 votes in the Saturday House of Assembly election.
Rukayat will represent Owode/Onire Constituency in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara.
The INEC has also declared the Kwara House of Assembly Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, of the APC winner of the Ilesha-Gwanara state constituency after edging out his main contestant, Usman Abubakar, of the PDP.
Declaring the result at the collation centre for the Ilesha/Gwanara constituency at the Gwanara LGEA primary school, the Returning Officer, Dr Adewale Rafiu, said Danladi-Salihu polled 14, 949 votes while his closest rival, Usman Abubakar of the PDP got 2,072 votes.
“Yakubu Danladi-Salihu of APC having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Dr Rafiu declared.
In his acceptance speech, the Speaker lauded his constituents for their massive support that culminated in his victory, assuring them that he would continue to prioritise their welfare.
He said: “I wish to thank my constituents for the show of love and massive support that earned me this sweet victory at the poll. I’ll continue to appreciate and reciprocate this rare gesture with another superlative performance in office while prioritising people’s welfare.”
With this result, Danladi-Salihu has now won the seat of the Ilesha-Gwanara constituency for a second term.
