Elections: APC wins 19 states as PDP takes seven

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday consolidated its hold on the political landscape, winning some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongholds as more governorship election results were announced.

The party won in Plateau, Benue, Niger, Adamawa and Kebbi states that were held by the PDP. Besides, it retained Nasarawa and Borno states.

The PDP won in Delta and Cross River states. Its ‘victory’ in Rivers, announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday – like the one in Akwa Ibom on Sunday – is in dispute.

Results from Taraba, Abia and Imo states were declared inconclusive by the electoral agency.

In Adamawa, APC candidate Jibrilla Mohammed Bindow won with 362,329 votes. Markus Gundiri of Social Democratic Party (SDP) with 181,806 came second.

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the PDP came third with 98,917.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Dr Ahmed Modibbo, scored 32,985 votes.

APC candidate Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar won the Jigawa governoship seat. He scored 648,045 votes to beat the PDP candidate, Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim Ringim, who got 479,447 votes.

Ben Ayade of the PDP won in Cross River State. He defeated Odey Ochicha of the APC with 342,016 to 53, 983. Labour Party candidate Fidelis Ugbo scored 36, 918.

In Benue State, APC candidate Samuel Ortom polled  422,932  to defeat PDP candidate Terhemen Tarzoor who took 313,878 votes.

A one-time speaker of the House of Assembly, Simon Lalong, is the Plateau State governor-elect. He polled 564,627 to defeat Senator Gyan Pwajok of the PDR, who scored 520,913 votes.

Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura of the APC retains his seat by defeating  his closest rival and former Minister of Information Labaran Maku of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Al Makura polled 309,746 votes to Maku’s 178,983.  PDP candidate Yusuf Agabi polled 119,782.

Al – Makura said: “My victory is victory for all the people of Nasarawa State. It is victory for all the people that contested with me because by their participation in this exercise they have endured due diligence in the process of democracy and I think they should also be appreciated for having faith in the system to participate in it.

“I believe all of us are working towards one goal for the purpose of taking this state to the next level for the betterment of the people of the state.”

APC candidate Abubakar Sani Bello won in Niger State. He scored 593,702 votes against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Umar Nasko with 239, 772 votes.

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima of APC polled 649,913 to beat Gambo Lawan of  PDP who scored  34,771 votes.

In Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa polled 724,680 votes to beat Chief Great Ogboru of Labour Party who won 130,028 votes. Chief O’tega Emerhor of APC garnered 67,825 votes. Okowa won in 21 of the 25 local government areas. Ogboru clinched the remaining four. Kebbi State Governor-elect is Senator Atiku Bagudu, who scored 477,376 votes to defeat PDP candidate Gen. Sarkin Bello, who scored 293,443 votes.

Former Minister of State for Education and PPD candidate Nyesom Wike was declared winner of the Rivers governorship elections.

INEC Returning Officer Prof. Faraday Orumwense, said he polled 1,029,102 votes.

He said Dr. Dakuku Peterside, of the APC scored 124,896 votes. LP candidate Tonye Princewill polled 10,142 votes.

Election in Emohua, one of the 23 local government areas, was cancelled, having been marred by violence, according to the INEC officer in charge of the area.

The result showed that the PDP won 25 seats in the House of Assembly elections. The APC won a seat while the exercise was inconclusive in six constituencies.

INEC yesterday declared as “inconclusive”, the governorship election in Taraba State.

The commission ordered a rerun in some polling units.

The candidate of the PDP Darius Dickson Ishaku won in nine local governments areas with 317,198 votes. Hajia Aisha Alhassan of the APC won six local government areas, scoring 262,386 votes.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Kyari, said since the number of cancelled votes was more than the number of the difference in votes (margin) between PDP and APC, there was need to reconduct the election in the affected areas.

Kyari said: “Since the number of the cancelled votes is more than the difference between the two leading parties, the election in Taraba State is therefore inconclusive.”

INEC said it cancelled the polls in those areas because of irregularities and pockets of violence.

The PDP is leading with 54,812 votes. The number of the cancelled votes in all the affected polling units is 127,125.

INEC said there would be rerun in Donga Local Government Area and some polling units in Chanchanji Ward in Takum “where votes were rejected”.

The rerun in Donga will hold across the entire 165 polling units, which the PDP earlier claimed to have won.

INEC also declared the Imo State governorship election inconclusive.

Returning Officer Prof. Oye Ibidapo- Obe, said APC candidate Rochas Okorocha is leading with 385,071 votes to his PDP rival Emeka Ihedioha with 306,142 votes.

According to the Returning Officer, the election was declared inconclusive because the total number of votes in areas where election could not hold was higher than the margin between the two leading candidates.

The APC candidate is ahead with 79,0529 votes. The number of votes in the affected areas is  144,715.

Prof. Ibidapo-Obe said the results could not be authenticated and a winner declared, until rerun election was held in the places were results were cancelled.

Then units are scattered across the state with the bulk in six Wards out of the 10 in Oru East local government area.

In Abia, PDP candidate Okezie Ikpeazu is leading with 248,459. APGA’s Dr Alex Otti has 165,406 votes. The election was declared inconclusive last night by Returning Officer Prof. Benjamin Ozumba.

Prof Ozumba said there were 179,224 potential voters who wre accredited but could not vote due to various reasons including violence. He said the number is higher than the difference between the leading candidate and the second placed candidate. Ikpeazu is leading Otti with 83,053 votes