By Segun Awofadeji in Gombe
Alhaji Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya has Monday emerged winner of the All Progressive Congress (APC) primary election held at the Gombe International Hotel, Gombe.
Yahaya, a former commissioner for finance during Senator Danjuma Goje’s eight-year tenure, was also the party’s governorship standard-bearer in the 2015 general election.
He lost the election to Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Announcing the winner of the election that started around 3:30am, chairman of the election committee, Abu Bawuro, said Inuwa polled 859 votes to beat his closest rival, Mohammed Jibrin Barde who polled 463 votes.
The election, which was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, had other contestants who polled the following votes.
Farouk Bamusa, 139 votes; Idris Umar, a former minister of transport, 68 votes; Umar Kwairanga, 54 votes; Abubakar Habu Muazu, 49 votes; Dasuki Jalo Waziri, 28 votes; Ahmed Khamisu Mailantarki, nine votes; while Aliyu Haidar Abubakar polled five votes.
The chairman commended the contestants, delegates and agents for the unity they exhibited throughout the conduct of the exercise.
In his response, the winner of the election, Yahaya, called on others to join hands with him in ensuring that APC forms the next government in the state.
He commended the leader of the party in the state, Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, for carrying all the nine contestants along without any bias. He promised to do his best for the people of Gombe State.
In his remarks, Senator Goje commended the contestants for unified forum they exhibited and advised Inuwa to take all APC members as his children.
