- Polls inconclusive in Sokoto, Adamawa, Plateau, Bauchi
BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS – More than 48 hours after the March 9 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, results are still trickling in with some shockers across the nation’s two main political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
As expected, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-backed APC flag-bearer, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, emerged winner of Saturday’s contentious governorship election in Lagos State, while the #‘Otoge’ movement completed the routing of Senate President Bukola Saraki from his hitherto Kwara fortress.
Also, APC’s highly anticipated victories in Kebbi, Gombe and Ogun States were confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as it announced Governor Atiku Bagudu, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya and Dapo Abiodun as governors-elect.
In Kwara, #‘Otoge’ exponent, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s mobilization signaled the final crumbling of Bukola Saraki’s political empire while Abiodun swept to victory in Ogun State by trouncing Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s anointed candidate, Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).
However, not letting down its guard, opposition PDP recorded impressive wins through Governors Emmanuel Udom, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, David Umahi and new comer Seyi Makinde in Akwa Ibom, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Oyo States.
With results in some states already declared inconclusive and other still being collated by INEC this morning, both APC and PDP seem to be sharing the spoil of office as at the last count of governors-elect.
LAGOS
A two-time commissioner, Sanwo-Olu polled 739,445 to humble regular contestant, Jimi Agbaje of the PDP, who polled 206,141. It is Agbaje’s third defeat in the governorship race which began in 2007 when he was the flag-bearer of Democratic Peoples’ Alliance (DPA), losing to Babatunde Fashola of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Again, as PDP candidate in 2015, he was narrowly beaten to the coveted crown by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC.
Reports confirmed that shortly after the APC candidate was officially declared governor-elect, Agbaje called to concede defeat and congratulate him at about 7.07pm.
GOMBE
The APC uprooted the ruling PDP in the State as INEC declared its candidate, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya governor-elect with 364,129 votes. He defeated Usman Nafada of the PDP, who polled 222,868 votes.
KATSINA
Governor Aminu Bello Masari recorded a landslide victory in retaining his seat in Katsina State Government House for another four years. He scored 1,178,864 votes to humble his PDP opponent, Garba Yakubu Lado who got 488,621 votes to place second
KEBBI
Incumbent Governor Atiku Bagudu of the APC was declared governor-elect in Kebbi State. Results announced by the Collation Officer, Prof. Hamisu Bichi, in Birnin Kebbi showed Bagudu scored 673,717 votes while PDP’s Senator Isah Galaudu polled 106,633 votes.
KWARA
The ‘Oto ge’ movement-propelled AbdulRazaq emerged winner of the election after polling majority votes of 331,546 votes to outscore all other contestants in the race, including PDP’s Abdulrazak Atunwa, who garnered 114,754. The APC also captured all the 24 House of Assembly seats in the state.
NIGER
Incumbent Governor Abubakar Bello won with 526,412 votes to beat his PDP challenger Umar Nasko that got 298,065 votes.
OYO
The PDP candidate, Makinde polled 515,621 votes to beat APC’s Adelabu who polled 357,982 votes across the 33 local government areas in the State.
However, the APC accused the PDP candidate jumping the gun to celebrate before he was declared governor-elect.
As the final collation of results got underway, the APC petitioned against Makinde to the state INEC headquarters, accusing Makinde of what it described as a “breach of electoral laws”, and demanding his arrest and prosecution.
The Governor-elect was alleged to have released a video in early on Sunday in which he “pointedly proclaimed himself winner of the governorship election in Oyo State when INEC, the authorised umpire has not concluded same nor declared any such results”.
Signed by the APC state secretary, Mr Mojeed Olaoya, the petition alleged that Makinde by the action is clearly inciting the citizenry against an eventual credible outcome of the elections.
ENUGU
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuayi retained his seat for the PDP after polling 449,935. Senator Ayogu Eze of the APC, who reportedly boycotted the election accusing INEC of foul play, came a distant second with 10,423.
The Enugu State Collation Officer, Prof Joseph Ahaneku, the Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, declared Ugwuanyi as duly elected after winning in all 17 council areas.
ABIA
Incumbent Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was returned governor-elect after polling with 261,127 votes to defeat his APC opponent, Uche Ogah who amassed 99,574 votes.
OGUN
Dapo Abiodun of the APC emerged victorious in the results announced by the INEC. He polled 241,670 votes to defeat APM’s Adekunle Akinlade, who polled 222,153 with Kashamu of the PDP placing third on the log.
But the APM has already rejected the governorship and House of Assembly results in the Gateway State, alleging that the collation was “hijacked and compromised”.
According to Akinlade, the outcome of the collation did not reflect the wishes of the people as freely expressed during the polls, even as he claimed that the process was allegedly disrupted and results doctored to favour the APC in Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Ifo, Obafemi/Owode and the nine local governments in Ogun East Senatorial District.
In rejecting the results, the Director-General of APM Campaign Organisation, Sarafa Tunji-Ishola, said the process was disrupted by hoodlums and results falsified to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that; “The exercise, which started on a peaceful note, was disrupted as the counting of votes were being completed by hoodlums and unidentified uniformed men, who hijacked the process and went ahead to collate falsified results sheets in many local council areas including Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Ifo, Obafemi/Owode and particularly all the local government areas in all parts of the Ogun East Senatorial District.
“In local government areas like Sagamu, Odogbolu and Ogun Waterside that were won by the APM, the results were changed to deny our party its well-deserved victory. In other local governments won by the APC, the figures were altered to increase the margin between the APC and the APM.
“The disruptions were clearly designed to ensure that the APM does not meet the required constitutional requirement of 25 per cent of votes in the council areas of Ogun East Senatorial District and to suppress the electoral strength of the APM in Ogun Central Senatorial District where the party clearly enjoys superior strength.
“In the night, some armed men purportedly working for a top Federal Government official from Ogun State went round many of the local government areas, hijacked result sheets and forced party agents to sign already-filled result sheets under duress.
“These infractions are against the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria and the electoral act. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) made a formal protest on these infractions to the Resident Electoral Commission of INEC in Ogun State as reports from our agents across the state revealed these atrocities.
“We requested that INEC should investigate these infractions and suspend the announcement of the purported results of the elections pending the completion of such investigation. We were surprised that the INEC went ahead this morning to announce the disputed results from many of the local government areas.
Insisting that the APM has formally rejected wgat he described as ‘hijacked and compromised’ collation process that did not reflect the wishes of the people of Ogun State freely expressed in 09 March 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, Akinlade said; “The APM wishes to put INEC on notice that we shall explore every means within the provisions of the constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to challenge this miscarriage of justice. We shall also ensure that the wishes of the people of Ogun State as freely expressed at the polls are protected.”
JIGAWA
Incumbent Governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru swept the polls in the State gubernatorial election conducted on Saturday.
Returning Officer for the election in Jigawa, Prof Azubike Nwankwo, Provost, Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, who declared the result in Dutse on Sunday, said Badaru of All Progressives Congress (APC) won with 810,933 votes against his closest rival, Alhaji Aminu Ringim, who polled 288,356 votes. Also, the APC mage huge gains winning all 30 seats for the Jigawa State House of Assembly.
EBONYI
In Abakaliki, Governor David Umahi of the PDP kept his seat as the Ebonyi State first citizen polling 393,343 votes to beat APC’s Sonni Ogbuoji, with 81,703.
Declaring the result at INEC State Headquarters in Abakaliki, Returning Officer, Prof Chukwuemeka Eze, said the governor garnered 393,343 across 13 local government areas in the state.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, Gov Umahi reiterated his unalloyed loyalty to the people of Ebonyi State for giving him a second term mandate, pledging to consolidate on the tripod of aggressive infrastructural; human development; and aggressive industrialisation of the state that his administration stands.
He also pledged his commitment to hand over power to Abakaliki bloc in 2023 after completing his second term to ensure continuous rotation of power among the three senatorial zones in the spirit of equity and justice.
BORNO
As at press time, Babagana Zullum, the APC gubernatorial candidate, had open a massive lead against his opponent, winning in 24 of the 27 local government areas’ results so far declared in Borno State.
Among councils already captured by APC include: Nganzai; Mobbar, Dikwa, Gubio, Magumeri and Konduga. Others are Abadam, Guzamala, Mafa, Kaga, Monguno, Kukawa and Marte
YOBE
APC’s candidate, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, who established an early lead in the day, has been declared the governor-elect with a wide margin. He polled 444,013 votes to beat PDP’s Umar Iliya Damagun in all the 17 councils of the state.
AKWA IBOM
Despite the forces that massed against his second term bid, Governor Udom Emmanuel held fort for PDP in the State, polling 519,712 votes to outscore APC’s Nsima Ekere who got 171,979 votes as the runners-up
NASARAWA
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Abdullahi Sule polled 327,229 to emerge the governor-elect, defeating PDP’s flag-bearer in the race, David Ombugadu who amassed 184,291 votes to come second.
CROSS RIVER
Cross River Governor and the PDP candidate, Prof Ben Ayade, who comfortably led after results’ collation in 14 of the 18 local government areas of the state, has won his re-election.
According to INEC, Ayade polled 381,484 votes to beat Senator John Owan-Enoh of the APC who got 131,161 votes. The APC went into the March 9 gubernatorial poll still embroiled in crisis of determining the authentic candidate between Enoh, who is the Senator representing the Cross River Central Senatorial District and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani, as both laid claims to the Party’s ticket in the state.
DELTA
The result so far harvested by INEC from 14 local government areas as at late Sunday night showed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta leading the governorship race with 433,7021 votes. His opponent, Chief Great Ogboru of the APC was trailing with 101,579 votes
BAUCHI, PLATEAU, SOKOTO, ADAMAWA INCONCLUSIVE
However, it has not been totally smooth sailing for the two big parties as results of gubernatorial races in Bauchi, Sokoto, Plateau and Adamawa States have been declared inconclusive by the respective Returning officers, citing marginal score-lines between the frontline candidates.
According to the officers, the margins of lead between PDP and APC Candidates are less than the number of cancelled votes across polling units where the exercise was disrupted due to violence or over voting in the affected states.
Consequently, INEC is expected to immediately conduct re-run polls in the affected areas in the affected States in yet-to-be announced dates.
In Plateau State, the APC candidate, Governor Solomon Lalong polled 583,255 while his PDP counterpart, Senator Jeremiah Useni got 538,326 votes
In Sokoto State, Governor Aminu Tambuwal and PDP candidate in the election polled 489,558 and APC’s flag-bearer Aliyu Ahmed got 486,145 votes.
In Bauchi State, the opposition PDP candidate, Senator Bala Mohammed garnered 469,512 votes to Governor Mohammed Abubakar of APC who polled 465,453 votes
In Adamawa State, incumbent Governor and APC flag-bearer, Muhammadu Bindow got 334,995 votes as against and Alhaji Umaru Fintiri of the PDP who polled 367,471 votes.
RIVERS
Following reports of tensed security situation surrounding the conduct of elections in Rivers state, INEC has announced the suspension of all processes in Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections, until further notice.
In a statement by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye in Abuja late of Sunday, INEC attributed the decision to widespread violence and disruption that characterised the elections in the South-south state.
Okoye said based on reports from INEC field officers, the electoral umpire decided that there had been widespread disruption of polls conducted on Saturday in the state.
He stated that; “These initial reports suggest that violence occurred in a substantial number of polling units and collation centres; staff have been taken hostage and materials, including result sheets, have either been seized or destroyed by unauthorised persons.
“In addition, safety of our staff appears to be in jeopardy all over the state and the commission is concerned about the credibility of the process.”
Okoye further said; “Consequently, at a meeting held Sunday, March 10, the commission has decided to suspend all electoral processes in the state until further notice” adding; “This is in line with Section 26 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and Clause 47(e) of the Regulations and Guidelines of the Commission.”
“The commission has also established a Fact-Finding Committee to assess the situation and report back within 48 hours,” the statement said
INEC however appealed for understanding from the Rivers people, particularly voters, assuring that it was probing the circumstances of these disruptions.
Reports that have gone viral indicated that security agents on Sunday cordoned off the INEC office, barring people, including reporters, from participating in the collation.
The team of security personnel, comprising the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) and the Police Mobile cordoned off both sides of Aba Road, leading to INEC office from Waterlines and GRA junctions.
Also, more than 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) were seen patrolling the area, even as the security agencies dispersed a group of young women who staged a peaceful protest around the GRA Junction.
Acting under the aegis of ‘Port Harcourt Significant Girls’, the protesters, clad in black dresses, maintained that the people’s votes should be allowed to count.
