In what seemed like a clean sweep of their elections, nearly all the first term governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, secured their governorship tickets across the country to return to office for a second term, at their respective primary elections.
Although there were hitches in some of the states, which followed protests by some of the defeated aspirants, such developments did not, however, affect the declaration of results by the various electoral officers, which saw the first term governors return as candidates of the APC.
Governors, who made it back to their government houses included Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara), Abdulahi Sule (Nasarawa), Yahaya Inuwa (Gombe) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara).
Other persons seeking to replace the outgoing governors of their states, who had served two terms of eight years, also emerged in the different states, where elections held.
Lagos State
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, emerged candidate of the APC in the state, after polling 1,170 delegate votes.
Party members defied the downpour that nearly marred the exercise held at Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan and filed out to cast their votes to approve the governor’s second term ticket.
The electoral process commenced at 12:33pm with the arrival of the chairman of the election committee, a former Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Adamu Shettima Yuguda.
The electoral committee’s arrival was followed by the immediate accreditation of delegates across the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Of all the 1,225 delegates expected to participate in the primaries, the committee accredited 1,198 present at the venue and disqualified two aspirants: Abdulhameed Olorunfemi Mustapha and Wale Oluwo, while officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the exercise.
Reacting, Sanwo-Olu dedicated the victory to all party members, and described them as the main winners of the exercise.
“Having thanked all our party faithful, the bigger appreciation goes to all Lagosians irrespective of the side they lean. This victory is for all residents, who have supported us on this journey we started four years ago. What we witnessed this evening is an affirmation that the good work we have been doing should continue.
“This is the assurance we are taking to the general election and we will ensure that we don’t fail. With all sense of responsibility, there are still a lot more that Lagosians should be expecting from us across all facets of governance. The confidence reposed in us will not be betrayed. We pray that God gives us the energy to take Lagos to a level that will reflect the aspiration of all Lagosians.”
Ogun State
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, emerged winner of the state governorship primary of the APC.
At the primary conducted at the MKO International Stadium, Abeokuta, five other aspirants contested against the governor.
The aspirants were Olubiyi Otegbeye, Mrs Modele Sarafa-Yussuf, Mr Owodunni Opayemi, Remilekun Bakare and Abdukadir Akinlade.
Of the six aapirants, only Abiodun, attended the primary, while agents of all the aapirants, announced their presence and did what was expected of them.
Giving the details of the election, that was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, Chairman of the Ogun State APC Primary Election Committee, Mr Wale Ohu, disclosed that 1,180 delegates, from the 20 local governments, were accredited for the exercise.
Announcing the results, Ohu, said Abiodun scored 1,168 votes, while other aapirants, did not secure any vote while two votes, were voided.
Kwara State
Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has emerged the duly elected governorship candidate of the APC for next year’s election after polling 964 votes.
Four votes were also voided after the party’s delegates voted in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
Chairman of primary election, Dr. Emmanuel Dan Daura, who conducted the election announced results, affirming the governor’s victory. Abdulrazaq was the sole candidate.
Nasarawa State
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, defeated the ex-wife to the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Fatima Abdullahi Adamu, to pick the governorship ticket of the party of the state.
Sule was consequently declared winner of the Nasarawa State APC governorship primary election held at the Lafia City Hall by chairman of the state APC Governorship Primary Election Committee, Isa Ibeto.
The state APC governorship election committee chairman announced that Sule polled 698 votes to defeat the ex-wife to the APC national chairman,, Fatima who scored three votes.
Gombe State
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has secured his second term ticket to run for the governorship of the state in the APC.
He was declared winner and candidate for the party by Dr. Danjuma Dabo, Returning Officer for the primary election after securing the 563 delegates voice votes.
Zamfara State
Governor Muhammad Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has emerged APC governorship candidate for 2023 election. He emerged unpposed as other candidates withdrew from the race.
Returning Officer for the primaries, Babagana Tijjani Banki, declared the result in Gusau, the state capital, saying a total of 735 delegates from across 14 local government areas of the state affirmed Matawalle unopposed during the exercise.
THISDAY gathered that Abubakar Garba Gajam, who was considered Matawalle’s major rival, withdrew from the contest before the commencement of the exercise.
Ebonyi State
Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon Francis Nwifuru, has emerged the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.
Nwifuru polled a total of 743 to defeat four other Governorship Aspirants of the APC in the state.
Mrs Rosemary Ofoke Nwogbaga, who came a distant second garnered 63 votes, while Senator Julius Ali Ucha, who came third scored 22 votes.
Others were a former Chairman, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Chief Elias Mbam, who scored 10 votes and Sir Edward Nkwegu with 8 votes.
A total of 8 votes were declared invalid.
The governorship primary election took place on Thursday at Pa Ngele Oruta township stadium Abakaliki. Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security agencies were on hand to monitor the exercise.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Prof. Adebayo Emmanuel, who announced the results, expressed happiness over the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
Abia State
A development economist and publisher, Chief Ikechi Emenike, has emerged the governorship candidate of the APC in Aba State.
He defeated five other aspirants to clinch the governorship ticket of the main Abia opposition party at the governorship primary held in Umuahia.
Chairman of the APC governorship primary election committee for Abia, Chief Tony Obiefuna, who declared the result of the poll said, Emenike polled 672 votes out of 892 votes cast by 907 accredited delegates to emerge victorious.
“We hereby return Chief Ikechi Emenike as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Abia State,” Chief Obiefuna declared, adding that the exercise was transparent and peaceful.
Emenike’s closest rival, Chief Emeka Atuma received 150 votes from the delegates; Daniel Eke, 16; Paul Ikonne, 22; Obinna Oriaku, 12; and Uche Ogah, 6. One of the aspirants, Mr. Alex Otti, who had withdrawn from the race on the eve of the primary still got 14 votes.
All the governorship aspirants and major stakeholders were present at the venue of the primary held at Chidiebere Arena, Umuahia.
Rivers State
A business mogul and former Chief Executive of Sahara energy, Tonye Cole, has emerged the APC candidate in Rivers State.
Tonye Cole cinched the APC ticket with a total of 986 votes, defeating former APC Chairman in the state, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, who had 190 votes; Dr Sokonte Davies got 49 and Magnus Abe, got one vote even when he did not participate in the primary.
Announcing the result, Hon Larry Odi, who was the returning officer, said the exercise was peaceful and transparent.
Oyo State
The governorship primary of the APC in Oyo State, has been postponed to Friday. Though there was no official communication to that effect, it was learnt that the primary was postponed after one of the aspirants complained about the security at the venue of the exercise.
All the five aspirants, Senator Teslim Folarin, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Engineer Hakeem Alao, Mr. Akeem Agbaje and Dr. Azeez Adedubtan, party chieftains, INEC officials and governorship primary committee led by Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, were already at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, venue of the exercise, before the decision was taken
It was gathered that one of the aspirants complained about the security arrangement, stressing that thugs had gained access into the main bowl of the stadium, where the exercise will hold.
Following the aspirant’s complaint, it was learnt that the committee decided to postpone the exercise.
Delta State
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, was elected the governorship standard bearer of the APC in Delta State.
Omo-Agege polled a total of 1,190 votes, and was returned unopposed by a total of 1,235 accredited delegates of the party at the APC governorship primaries held on Thursday at the Federal College of Education, Asaba.
Announcing the results, Chairman of the party’s election committee and returning officer, Mrs Oyibo Nwaneri, declared Omo-Agege winner, “having polled majority of the votes cast”, noting that he was the sole candidate at the primary election.
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