Farouk Mahama wins NPP primary in Yendi after chaotic counting process

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declared the Member of Parliament for Yendi, Farouk Aliu Mahama, as the party’s parliamentary candidate-elect for the area.

The NPP’s parliamentary poll in the area was disrupted on Saturday, January 27, during the counting process.

Someone was allegedly caught spoiling the ballots of Farouk’s opponent, Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama Zakari, which led to massive confusion.

Counting was then put on hold, but the NPP Northern Regional Communications Director, Yusif Danjuma, in a Citi News interview, said the party continued the collation and declared the MP the winner after tallying the results.

Yusif Danjuma said Farouk Aliu Mahama polled 569 votes while Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama had 213 votes.

“The poll was declared yesterday by the national and the regional reps that were there to monitor the elections.”

“We had 735 registered voters and 734 turnout, and Farouk Aliu Mahama had 569 [votes], and Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama also had 213 [votes], and so when the incident happened, her votes were intact and a bit of Farouk’s was disrupted, but they were able to organize the counting and tally the figures and declared Farouk Aliu Mahama as the Yendi parliamentary candidate.”

—citinewsroom