Buhari Departs Katsina For Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has departed Katsina for Abuja after exercising his civic right during the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections in Daura, his hometown.

Buhari and his wife, Aisha, on Saturday joined others to vote in the elections in which he is seeking re-election on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).

The president, who contested the election with 72 other candidates, voted at polling unit 003, Kofar Baru III, Gidan Niyam ward, Daura, Katsina State.

Buhari told reporters after casting his vote that he was hopeful of winning the election and would congratulate himself for the electoral victory.

The president is leading in the contest based on results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Katsina State having won in 12 local government areas.

He defeated his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with wide margins in Daura, Matazu, Ingawa, Kurfi, Sandamu, Danmusa, Safana, Kusada, Bakori, Dutsi, Batsari and Rimi local government areas.

The election results in the remaining 22 local government areas of the state are still expected.

The INEC Returning Officer Katsina North Senatorial District, Prof. Ojonigu Friday on Sunday declared Ahmed Babba-Kaita of APC as winner of the senatorial election.

He said Babba-Kaita scored 339,438 to defeat his PDP opponent, Alhaji Mani Nasarawa, who got 127,529 votes, while Accord Party candidate, Lawal Nalado, scored 14,152 votes.

INEC also declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Salisu Isansi, as winner of Katsina Federal Constituency, with a score of 58,314 votes.

Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika and other personalities were at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, Katsina, to bid the president farewell.

The presidential aircraft carrying the president, his wife and some of his aides took off from the airport for Abuja at 10.47a.m.

The president is expected back in Daura in less than two weeks to participate in the Governorship and House of Assembly elections, rescheduled for March 9.