The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), today, rejected the result in the Pankshin-South constituency by-election where the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate was declared winner.

Raymond Dabo, Plateau State PDP chairman, said the party will not accept the result which showed that Gideon Dashe of the APC won with 9, 985 votes to defeat his closes rival, Istifanus Mwansat of the PDP, who polled 9, 875.

“The results of the entire by-election held in Pankshin (Plateau state) were not acceptable to us in PDP especially that of Pyabor polling unit in Chip electoral ward of Pankshin-South Constituency,” Dabo said to newsmen in reaction to the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in last Saturday election.

The PDP is losing this seat for the first time since 2003 election.

Dabo said the party will convene a meeting where the leadership will take a decision on what to do to challenge the result of Pankshin-South.

The Court of Appeal in Jos had ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in Nyelleng polling unit of Fier ward in Pankshin-North, and Pyabor polling unit in Chip ward, respectively to determine the winners.

Frayed nerved between supporters of both the APC and the PDP had earlier disagreed over the location for the declaration of the result, with one insisting the local government headquarters was the right place, while the other opted for the ward.

It took the intervention of the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REEC), Godwin Kwanga, who calmed down nerves, allowing the Returning Officer; Dr. Chris Vande of University of Jos (UNIJOS) to announce the result at Longkat in Chip Electoral Ward.

The PDP also lost Pankshin-North to APC, whose candidate, Mrs. Alice Dimlong beat the PDP’s Diket Plang, polling 17,3329 votes, at against the latter’s 16,817 at Nyelleng Polling Unit.

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PDP rejects outcome of Pankshin South election re-run