APC’s Fuad Laguda wins Lagos by-election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Fuad Laguda, as the winner of the Surulere Federal Constituency I by-election in Lagos State.

Laguda had, in the build-up to the election, said he would succeed Femi Gbajabiamila, who after winning in the 2023 general election, was appointed by President Bola Tinubu as his Chief of Staff.

Declaring the winner at the INEC Office on Saturday night, the Returning Officer for the Surulere Federal Constituency I by-election, Prof. Adebayo Oladipo of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), said Laguda polled 11,203 votes to defeat other candidates who contested the election.

Oladipo noted that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jerry Afemighie, came a distant second with 278 votes, while the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Adeola Adebanjo polled 240 to come a distant third.

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The returning officer said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 40 votes, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) polled six votes, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) scored seven votes, while the Action Peoples Party (APP) got four votes.

Oladipo added that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) scored two votes, the Young Progressives Party(YPP) got nine votes, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled four votes, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) got eight votes.

Oladipo said the total number of registered voters in the constituency was 140,377 while the total number of accredited voters was 11,943.

According to him, the total valid votes cast is 11,801; the total rejected votes is 138; while the total votes is 11,939.

Oladipo declared: “I, Prof. Simeon Adebayo Oladipo, hereby certify that I am the returning officer for the 2024 Surulere I Federal Constituency by-election held on the third day of February 2024.

“The election was contested.

“That Laguda Kayode Fuad of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected.”

The Star