By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja

The FCT senatorial candidate of the Labour Party, Ireti Kingibe, has been declared winner of the election.

She garnered 202,175 votes to defeat Philip Aduda of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had occupied the seat since 2011.

Aduda polled 100,544 votes to come second in the race while Angulu Dobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) placed third with 78,905 votes

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Professor Sanni Saka of the University of Abuja, announced the result on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that Kingibe, who is the wife of one-time Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe, scored 202,175 votes to emerge winner.

Saka, while declaring the result, said: “I Prof. Sanni Saka thereby certifies that I am the Returning Officer for the 2023 FCT Senatorial district election held on Feb. 25.

“The election was contested and the candidates received the votes as announced.

“That Ireti Kingibe having satisfied the requirement of the law has been declared the winner,” Saka said.

He explained that the problem with the Bwari result that was earlier cancelled was rectified and the result certified as valid.

He, however, said that the result for Abaji remained cancelled because the problem had not been sorted out.

Suleiman Ango, the APC agent and that of PDP, Abdulrahman Mohammed, refused to sign the result sheet saying it was not authentic.

However, Aduda, who is the longest-serving senator to represent FCT in the red chamber, had earlier served two terms in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2011.