Explainer: Who won 2023 presidential 2023 in Kaduna, Katsina – the 161,829 votes difference
By Omeiza Ajayi – Abuja
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured a narrow victory in Katsina State during the February 25, 2023 presidential election, winning by just 6,762 votes over Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In Katsina, Abubakar received 489,045 votes, while Tinubu garnered 482,283 votes. The total number of valid votes in the state was 1,058,673, reflecting a margin of approximately 0.64 percentage points. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) finished in third place with 69,386 votes, followed by Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), who received 6,376 votes.
With 3,516,719 registered voters, the 1,058,673 valid votes cast in Katsina accounted for roughly 30 percent of that total.
In contrast, Abubakar achieved a much larger margin in neighboring Kaduna State, winning by 155,067 votes. He secured 554,360 votes there, while Tinubu received 399,293 votes. Obi finished third in Kaduna with 294,494 votes, followed by Kwankwaso, who garnered 92,969 votes. The state had 4,335,208 registered voters, with 1,418,046 accredited. INEC recorded 1,360,153 valid votes from a total of 1,401,376 votes cast.
The voting patterns in both states revealed notable differences, particularly for Obi. He received a significant number of votes in Kaduna compared to Katsina, where he finished fourth. Across both states, Abubakar received a combined total of 1,043,405 votes, against Tinubu’s 881,576, giving Abubakar a lead of 161,829 votes. Obi totaled 300,870 votes, while Kwankwaso amassed 162,355 votes. Almost all of Abubakar’s lead originated from Kaduna, as his margin in Katsina contributed only 6,762 votes.
