By Peter Uwumarogie

Gov. Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State won the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election held on Thursday thus pitting him against Alhaji Jibrin Barde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He polled 563 votes through voice affirmation.

Seven delegates could not make it to the venue of the election.

Announcing the result, Dr Danjuma Dabo, the Chief Returning Officer said 563 delegates were accredited out of the 570 persons expected to vote.

In his acceptance speech, Gov. Yahaya thanked the delegates for finding him worthy to be the party’s flag-bearer for the 2023 governorship election.

He called on party stakeholders to work together to deliver the state to the APC at the 2023 elections, adding that: “our performance will speak for us; so there is no shaking.”

The governor commended President Muhammadu Buhari, leader of the party, for “standing firm and for providing good leadership in Nigeria in this hard time that there is indeed a global challenge’’.

Yahaya also thanked members of his team for supporting and working hard to produce results that had convinced the people of Gombe State.

He assured that the confidence reposed on him through the affirmation, would spur him to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people.

Gov. Yahaya will contest the 2023 governorship election against Alhaji Jibrin Barde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Barde won his party’s flag on Wednesday when he polled 160 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Jamil Gwamna, who scored 119 votes. (NAN)