The All Progressives Congress (APC) Plateau State Primaries Electoral Committee, led by chairman Stella Okotete, has officially dismissed earlier announced results for the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam (PKK) House of Representatives primary election, labeling them as unauthorized. In a subsequent declaration, the committee confirmed Hon Yusuf Gagdi as the legitimate winner of the primary election. This clarification follows an earlier conflicting announcement by Mr Monday Daspan, who had recognized John Tongshinen as the winner and incorrectly stated that the incumbent lawmaker, Yusuf Gagdi, had lost the party’s ticket.

Addressing journalists in Jos on Monday, Okotete clarified that only the officially appointed returning officer, Nandom Andrew Kura, possesses the constitutional authority to declare the results of the primary election. She firmly stated that any previous announcements made outside this official mandate were invalid and should be disregarded by all parties involved.

Following these definitive instructions, Nandom Andrew Kura, serving as the duly recognized returning officer, officially declared Yusuf Gagdi as the outright winner of the APC primary election for the PKK federal constituency. This direct primary election took place on Saturday, with a total of 31,150 votes cast. Mr Gagdi secured a significant victory, polling 29,207 votes, convincingly defeating four other aspirants in the contest.

Speaking to journalists after the declaration, Gagdi strongly asserted that the entire electoral process was conducted properly and transparently across all 36 electoral wards. He provided reassurance by mentioning that evidence, including accreditation records, videos, and photographs, exists to support the credibility and integrity of the exercise. He also dismissed claims of multiple results circulating, stating that he was only aware of two announcements, one of which has now been unequivocally confirmed as illegitimate.

Gagdi further alleged that an earlier declaration attributed to an individual named Daspan Ishaya was fraudulent, emphasizing that this individual was not appointed by the electoral committee and therefore lacked any authority to announce results. He reiterated, “The constitution and guidelines of the party clearly vest the power to appoint election officials in the electoral committee. Any declaration outside that authority is null and void.” Gagdi also questioned the overall credibility of the unauthorized announcement, highlighting alleged inconsistencies in the individual’s role during the election process. Immediately following the announcement of the official results, reports indicated that widespread jubilation erupted in various parts of Kanam and Pankshin, celebrating Gagdi's confirmed victory.