The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented a certificate of return to Tafida Abbas, a 32-year-old rep-elect for the Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba.

INEC national commissioner supervising Taraba, Baba Bila, presented the certificate at a ceremony at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Bila congratulated Mr Abbas for emerging winner from the Feb. 13 by-election as well as the supplementary election of Feb. 14.

Mr Bila said that Mr Abbas’ emergence was an indication that youths were taking advantage of the not-too-young-to-run law and that the future of Nigeria belonged to the youth.

Speaking with journalists briefly after collecting the certificate, Mr Abbas of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commended INEC for conducting a credible election.

Mr Abbas promised not to his constituency down, promising to provide quality representation at the National Assembly.

“I’m very excited to serve my people with all integrity and honesty, as expected.

“Our people need development and we are going to tighten our belt. We are going to work very seriously.

“I don’t want them to expect handouts from me. I want them to expect purposeful leadership or purposeful development.

“We have to give them purposeful development,” he said.

The rerun election for the House of Representatives was held in the state on Feb. 3 but was declared inconclusive by INEC.

Tafida, the son of the Emir of Muri, Abbas Njiddah Tafida, scored a total of 19,681 votes from the rerun and supplementary election.

Innocent Jabayang of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) came second with 16,379 votes, while Aminu Malle of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got 12,662 votes.

(NAN)