The political atmosphere in Kano state is tinged with trepidation and restlessness amid the ongoing gubernatorial election in the north western state.
The intense and charged atmosphere is not unconnected to delay the final collation of Saturday’s governorship election results.
At 1:58am, the result of the last Local Government Area, Dala, was announced, with the New Nigerian Peoples Party NNPP) securing a major lead above its All Progressives Congress (APC) rival.
While NNPP polled 53,794 votes in Dala, APC trailed with 28,880 votes.
Supporters of the NNPP had started jubilating that the party secured the highest votes cast in the election but the returning officer, Professor Ahmad Doko Ibrahim, announced that he needed at least two hours to make final pronouncement.
This raised suspicion among some party agents and supporters who asked questions from the electoral officials.
Ibrahim had earlier displayed the documents to be used for final collation, showing that they were blank.
However, he insisted that he needed at least two hours to put things in order, especially as it relates to all issues leading to cancelled votes.
When the returning officer moved to a corner to fill the form, party supporters charged at him, forcing him to return to his former position.
Alongside, an INEC National Commissioner in the hall, efforts were made to reassure boost the confidence of party agents and supporters.
In 2019, the PDP was leading in Kano when the election was declared inconclusive and a rerun was fixed.
The APC eventually won the election.
It is not yet clear if the 2023 election would end on first ballot or would be declared inconclusive.