The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Gov Mai Mala Buni of Yobe as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Umaru Pate, announced the result in Damaturu on Sunday.

Pate said that Buni of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 317,113 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Alhaji Sherif Abdullahi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 124,259 votes.

“That Buni Mai Mala of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner of the election and returned elected,” he said.

Pate, also the Vice Chancellor, Federal University Kashere in Gombe, said Alhaji Garba Umar of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) came a distant third with 14,246 votes, while Arabi Mohammed of the Action Alliance (AA) polled 3,260.

He said the number of registered voters was 1,485,141, while the number of total accredited voters was 459,492, saying that the number of valid votes was 444,567, while the number of rejected votes was 13,214 and the total votes cast was 457,781.