The Independent  National Electoral Commission (INEC)  on Sunday halted announcement of results in Adamawa’s state governor election and said the declaration of Aisha Dahiru as the country’s first elected female state governor was null and void.

Nigerians voted for state governors on March 11 but the election in Adamawa, a largely conservative Muslim state, was inconclusive and supplementary voting was held on Saturday in 69 polling units where a little more than 36,000 voters were registered.

Dahiru, the ruling All Progressive Congress party’s candidate, has been held up as a pioneer who could pave the way for more women to seek political office in Nigeria.

She had been declared as the winner on Sunday by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) resident electoral commissioner with half of the districts yet to announce their results.

The INEC quickly declared that result null and void, saying the official had no power to make such an announcement.