- AS governorship and state assembly results trickle in
It is cheering news for Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara as the results continue to trickle in across the 28 states where the gubernatorial elections held on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
In Lagos, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Governor-elect of the Saturday poll.
Announcing the results, the state Returning Officer, Mrs Adenike Oladiji said Sanwo-Olu, polled a total of 762,134, votes to defeat his closest rival, Labour Party (LP) Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour who scored 312,329 votes while Dr. Olajide Adediran of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) polled 62,449 votes.
Labour Party Rejects Results
However, reacting to the announcement, the Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Lagos State Chapter, Mrs Dayo Ekong, urged INEC to outrightly cancel the governorship and House of Assembly elections conducted on March 18, in Lagos citing electoral malpractices, and irregularities as reasons for the call.
In raising the Party’s opposition against the exercise after the Returning Officer of Eti-Osa Local Government presented the results of the rescheduled elections in 10 units of the council, Mrs Ekong claimed that a lot of LP supporters were killed and disenfranchised amid electoral malpractices across the state during the exercise.
She described the exercise as “a sham” that should not be allowed to stand in any civilised setting if we are to preserve democracy in Nigeria going forward.
Makinde Returns In Oyo
In Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde secured his second term polling 563,756 votes to clinch victory over Teslim Folarin of the APC who came second with 256,685 votes.
Coming a distant third was Adebayo Adelabu of the Accord Party (AP) who polled 38,357 votes in the gubernatorial polls.
It was indeed a massive victory for Governor Makinde as he secured victory in 31 of the 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state, while the opposition APC could only make its presence felt in two LGAs.
The INEC returning officer for the Oyo governorship election, Adebayo Bamire, announced the final result at about 3:30 pm on Sunday even as Governor Makinde dedicated his victory to God and the people of Oyo State.
Speaking with reporters following the announcement, the governor said he was overwhelmed by the love showered on him by the people and was joined by his wife, Tamunominimin, family members, friends, and associates in celebrating the victory at his residence located in Ikolaba residence in Ibadan.
This is as he assured that the incoming administration, tagged ‘Omituntun 2.0, is a film that will be a lot better, sweeter, and more effective when compared to ‘Omituntun 1.0’.
It’s Abiodun Again In Ogun
In Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun of the APC was declared by INEC as the winner after polling polled 276,298 votes in the elections to defeat his closest rival, Ladi Adebutu of the PDP, who amassed 262,383 votes.
Trailing behind in third place was the African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s Biyi Otegbeye who polled a total of 94,754 votes in the election
Buni Retains Seat In Yobe State
For Governor Mai Mala Buni, it was a massive all-round performance as he won in all 17 Local Government Areas of the state with 317,113 votes to retain his seat for another four years in the Yobe State Government House.
Announcing the results in which the PDP Candidate Alhaji Sharif Abdulahi came a distant second with 104,259 votes, the Returning Officer for the governorship election in the state, Professor Umar Pate, the VC of the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe state, said at the INEC office in Damaturu that there were 459,492 accredited voters with 444,567 valid votes from the total votes of 457,781 cast during the exercise.
Jigawa Elects APC’s Umar Namadi
In Jigawa State, APC candidate, Mr Umar Namadi emerged winner of the 2023 governorship poll as the INEC collation officer in the state, Zayyanu Umar, declared on Sunday that the APC flag bearer polled a total of 618,449 votes.
Coming second in the race was Mustapha Sule Lamido of the PDP with 368,726 votes, while Ibrahim Ringim of the NNPP polled 37,156 votes to take the third position.
Gombe Re-Elects Yahaya
Declaring Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election, the INEC Returning Officer and the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Gashua, Yobe, Professor Maimuna Waziri, said Governor Yahaya of the APC scored 342,821 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Jibrin Barde of the PDP, who polled 233,131 votes.
According to Prof Waziri, Khamisu Mailantarki of the NNPP polled 19,861 votes, while Keftin Amuga of Labour Party polled 1,753, explaining that the number of registered voters stood at 1,575,794, while 618,231 voters were accredited with the number of valid votes at 605,355; 11,390 rejected votes, and 616,745 total votes cast.
The difference between the APC and PDP scores was 109,690 votes as Governor Yahaya won in nine out of the 11 LGAs of the state.
Bala Mohammed Coasting To Victory In Bauchi
In neighbouring Bauchi State, the latest reports indicated that incumbent Governor Bala Mohammed of the PDP is leading the APC with 49,592 votes after INEC’s declaration of 14 LGAs results in Bauchi, the State capital on Sunday.
Having polled 273,251 votes so far, Governor Mohammed leads his closest rival, Air Marshall Saddique Abubakar (rtd) of the APC whose votes tally stood at 223,659 votes from the declared results so far.
PDP Leads In Plateau
In Jos, the Plateau State capital, it is not cheering news for the ruling APC as results for the governorship election so far declared by the LGAs’ Collation Officers, in the company of Electoral Officers, indicate the opposition PDP as being in the lead.
Already, results from 13 LGAs have been declared with PDP leading in seven and APC pocketing six LGAs.
Zulum Leading In Borno
APC’s Professor Babagaba Zulum currently leads in seven local government areas of Borno State so far declared with 132,526 votes far ahead of the PDP candidate, Ali Jajari, credited with a total score of 5,144 votes.
INEC Returning Officer in Borno State, Professor Jude Rabo, announced the results so far collated at the State INEC Collation Center, Kashim Ibrahim College of Education Maiduguri.
Rabo, who is the Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State, said the APC is leading with a total of 132,526, and PDP scored a total of 5,144 votes, NNPP got zero votes, while the Labour Party (LP) got 84 votes.
Victory Beckons For APC’s Rev Fr Alia In Benue
The Benue State APC governorship candidate, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia, on Sunday extended his lead in the governorship results so far released by INEC from 17 local council areas to 156,736 votes.
With results coming in from six more LGAs of Gboko, Ohimini, Guma, Ushongo, Ogbadibo, and Oju, reports indicate that the APC candidate captured five LGAs with additional 133,407 votes while the PDP Candidate, Titus Uba got Guma with additional 71,363 votes to his tally
By the INEC’s released results for both parties, the APC flag bearer is in the lead with 327,962 votes, besting his PDP opponent credited with having polled 171,223 votes.
