The Allied People’s Movement (APM) has recorded a clean sweep in the Bauchi State local government elections, winning all 20 chairmanship seats contested across the state.
The Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) also declared APM candidates winners of 319 councillorship seats.
Only four councillorship seats were won by other parties — the SDP, NRM, ZLP and YPP.
Announcing the results on Monday night, BASIEC Chairperson Jummai Abubakar said the declared winners met the applicable legal requirements and secured the highest number of valid votes in their respective constituencies.
The election, however, was preceded by a boycott announced by opposition parties under the Coalition of Opposition Parties in Bauchi State. The coalition alleged that the exercise was designed to favour the ruling APM.
There were also reports of low voter turnout in parts of Bauchi metropolis, with some polling units recording very few voters and others reportedly having no voters as of midday.
The Bauchi State Government had declared Monday a work-free day to allow civil servants, public-sector workers and bank employees to participate in the election.
Governor Bala Mohammed, who cast his ballot during the exercise, described the election as peaceful and said the withdrawal of some opposition parties would not undermine its legitimacy.