The Court of Appeal in Abuja had in November 2023, declared the 18 March 2023 state assembly election in the Keana constituency inconclusive.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mohammed Omadefu of All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of Saturday's rerun election into the Keana constituency seat in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had in November 2023, declared the 18 March 2023 state assembly election in the Keana constituency inconclusive, and ordered a rerun election in five polling units in the Agaza electoral ward to determine the winner of the election.

Declaring the result of the rerun election in Keana, the constituency's returning officer, Hassan Imam, from the Federal University of Lafia, said that Mr Omadefu of APC polled 557 votes, while Basil Osheka of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 470 votes.

He explained that votes garnered by each candidate at the rerun election would be added to the votes scored by the candidates during the March 18 2023 elections to declare the winner of the state constituency seat at the Assembly.

Mr Imam, therefore, said that Mr Omadefu of APC scored 8,069 votes to defeat his closest rival, Osheka of PDP who polled 7, 917 votes.

"Consequently, Mohammed Omadefu of APC having scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected," he said.

Reacting to his victory, Mr Omadefu expressed gratitude to the people of the Agaza electoral ward and the entire Keana for their love and support.

He promised to consolidate his previous achievements with the renewed mandate given by the people.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with Mr Omadefu's victory, the APC had regained its majority in the Nasarawa Assembly with 10 members, followed by the PDP with nine members.

(NAN)