•Ruling party retains Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, reclaims Sokoto, comfortable in Ebonyi, others 

•Opposition party clears A’Ibom, leads in Delta, Taraba, Bauchi, Abia

•Tension in Adamawa as Fintiri, Binani in tough, tight race; Kebbi too 

•Soludo maintains dominance in Anambra despite LP’s intimidation

•Adeleke locks down Osun, Yahaya shows strength in Kogi, Oyebanji neutralises opponents in Ekiti

•NNPP repeats winning streak , Takes commanding lead in Kano

•INEC vows to take drastic measures against proven irregularities

Adedayo Akinwale, Emameh Gabriel in Abuja, Segun Awofadeji in Gombe, James Sowole  in Abeokuta, Okon Bassey in Uyo, Wole Ayodele in Jalingo, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt, David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka, Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki, Sylvester Idowu in Warri, Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi, Laleye Dipo in Minna, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, Ibrahim Shuaibu in Dutse, Ibrahim Oyawale in Lokoja; Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti, Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo, Michael Olugbode in Damaturu, Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto and Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Results so far announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from Saturday’s governorship and Houses of Assembly elections have seen the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) celebrating big wins across the country and reasserting itself in power, while flipping states previously won by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Although PDP struggled to come back in many states, especially, after the February 25 presidential poll, it re-emerged as the country’s main opposition party.

In sweeping victories, many APC governors secured re-election across the six geopolitical zones, with extensive triumphs at the state assemblies. APC governors, who secured re-election, included Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, and Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara State.

In addition, the ruling party retained control of states like Katsina and Jigawa, reclaimed Sokoto, and led comfortably in Ebonyi and many others.

On its part, PDP, aside re-electing Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, cleared Akwa Ibom State, and maintained unassailable lead in Delta and Rivers states, while posting controlling votes in Taraba, Bauchi, Enugu, and Abia, among states.

However, in Adamawa State, there was palpable tension between PDP’s Governor Ahmad Fintiri and APC’s Senator Aisha Ahmed-Binani, who were locked in a tough and tight race. With just one local government, Fofure, remaining, INEC had intended to suspend collation in the state, but the people, reportedly, insisted the exercise must be concluded.

At the time of filing this report, PDP was already leading with 35,615 votes in Adamawa State, after results from two more council areas – Michika and Song – were announced.

The situation in Kebbi State was equally tight, as the two main parties – PDP and APC – were in a tie with six local governments each, before collation was suspended last night.

In Anambra State, the governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, reportedly maintained dominance in the House of Assembly with his All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), despite the initial intimidation of the Labour Party (LP), which had a former governor of the state as its face.

Similarly, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke locked down the House of Assembly for PDP, while Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello showed strength for APC in the Assembly, just as Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji of APC neutralised his opponents with overwhelming majority in the House of Assembly.

Expectedly, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) maintained its winning streak in Kano State, leading in many local government areas, and was on the verge of repeating its record during the presidential poll.

In another development, INEC assured that it was committed to the sanctity of the electoral process, and vowed to take drastic measures against proven irregularities in any part of the country.

LAGOS STATE

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and candidate of APC was declared winner of the March 18 governorship election, after polling 762,134 votes to defeat his closest rival, Gbadebo Chinedu Rhodes-Vivour of LP, who scored 312, 329 votes. The PDP candidate, Olajide Adediran, came a distant third with paltry 62,449 votes.

Sanwo-Olu was declared winner of the election at 01.15 this morning by the returning officer, Adenike Oladeji.

The governor won the election with about 449,805 votes, after clearing 19 of the 20 local government councils in the state. He lost only Amuwo-Odofin to LP.

GOMBE STATE

INEC declared the APC candidate in Gombe State, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, winner of the governorship election held on Saturday. Returning Officer for the state, Professor Maimuna Waziri, said Yahaya scored the highest votes of 342,821.

Yahaya, who retained his seat for the next four years, was closely followed by the candidate of PDP, Mohammed Jibrin Barde, who scored 233, 131 votes.

Waziri, who is Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State, said there was a total of 1, 575, 794 registered voters, 618, 231 accredited voters, 605,355 valid votes, 11, 390 rejected votes, and 616, 745 total votes cast.

Yahaya won nine of the 11 local government areas, while Barde secured two local government areas, which had 114 wards.

OYO STATE

Governor Seyi Makinde of PDP won the governorship election in Oyo State. He was declared winner by INEC in Ibadan, the state capital, yesterday.

Makinde won in 31 local government areas with a total of 563,756 votes to defeat his closest rival, Teslim Folarin of APC, who won in two local government areas and scored 256,685 votes.

The governorship candidate of Accord Party, Adebayo Adelabu, came third with a total of 38,357 votes.

INEC State Collation Officer, Adebayo Bamire, who is Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, announced the results.

OGUN STATE

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun of APC was re-elected in Saturday’s election, after polling 276,298 votes to defeat PDP’s Ladipupo Adebutu, who had 262,383, while Biyi Otegbeye of African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 94,754 votes.

Returning Officer, Professor Kayode Adebowale, said Abiodun won in 12 local government areas, while Adebutu won in eight.

However, PDP submitted a petition to INEC, asking the commission to order a rerun in some polling units, where results were cancelled due to failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and violence.

Meanwhile, Abiodun commended the people of the state for renewing his mandate, saying, “Power belongs to God.”

Abiodun, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, described his victory as heart-warming and a “further proof that no man can play God or stop what God has ordained”.

YOBE STATE

Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni of APC was re-elected.

The returning officer, Professor Umar Pate, said Buni scored a total of 317,113 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Alhaji Sheriff Abdullahi of PDP, who polled 104,259 votes. Garba Umar of NNPP polled 14,246 votes to come third.

“I, Professor Umar Pate, hereby certify that Mai Mala Buni, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of the votes, is hereby declared winner of the election,” the returning officer said.

Meanwhile, in a major upset, a 35-year-old candidate of PDP, Musa Lawan, defeated the incumbent Speaker of Yobe State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Lawan Mirwa. Mirwa had been in the House of Assembly representing Nguru II since 2003, and became Speaker in 2019.

Lawan, a local businessman, according to residents of Nguru, received the support of his constituency who felt Mirwa was not generous.

KATSINA STATE

Governorship candidate of APC in Katsina State, Dikko Radda, was declared winner of the election. The state collation officer, Muazu Abubakar, said Radda polled 859,892 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yakubu Lado of PDP, who got 486,620 votes.

The NNPP candidate, Nura Khalil, got 8,263 votes, while Imran Jino of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) got 4,226 votes. Ibrahim Zakari of Social Democratic Party (SDP) got 1,049 votes, while Labour Party’s Abu Musawa polled 560 votes.

Abubakar said the number of registered voters in Katsina State was 3,516,719, while accredited voters was 1,399,291, total valid votes was 1,365, 848, and 20,579 votes were rejected.

“The total votes cast in the gubernatorial election was 1,386,427,” Abubakar, who is Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Gusau, stated.

AKWA IBOM STATE

Pastor Umo Eno of PDP was declared winner of the governorship race in the state. Professor Emmanuel Adigio pronounced the PDP candidate winner in the contest.

Adigio, who is Vice Chancellor of Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State, said Eno scored 354,348 votes to defeat the candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Obong Bassey Albert, who secured 136,262 votes, while APC scored 129,602 votes.

However, the former interim National Secretary of APC, who defected to New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and became the party’s governorship candidate, Senator J.J Udoedehe, got 12,509 votes.

TARABA STATE

In Taraba State, PDP’s Agbu Kefas maintained the lead in Saturday’s gubernatorial election as INEC declared results of two more local government areas.

In Ardo Kola Local Government Area, Kefas polled 15,034 votes to defeat NNPP’s Yahaya, who polled 14,577 votes, while the APC candidate, Senator Bwacha, polled 2,343 votes.

In Yorro, Kefas scored 11,880 votes to defeat Bwacha, who polled 5,282 votes, and NNPP’s Yahaya who scored 4,072 votes. The results of the two local government areas brought the total number of local government area results released by INEC to four, out of a total of 16.

Kefas had polled 20,183 votes in Zing local government to defeat Bwacha, who scored 7,299 and Yahaya who scored 2,919. In Lau, Kefas scored 13,368 votes while Yahaya and Bwacha scored 10,196 and 5,079 votes, respectively.

RIVERS STATE

Agents of the opposition political parties in Rivers State, yesterday, protested against the results announced in favour of PDP in the state. Led by the LP agent, Frederick Nwojie, the agents rejected the results announced so far and called for suspension of the process.

The Accord Party’s agent, Iyk Oji, complained about irregularities, violence, and inconsistencies between results being collated and those uploaded on the INEC portal.

But Returning Officer, Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Efurun, said the call to stop collation could be granted, but that the agents should document their complaints and submit to him. Rim-Rukeh added that their reports and observations had been sent to the INEC national headquarters.

But the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Siminalayi Fubara, was leading in the results of 17 local government areas so far announced.

ANAMBRA STATE

Results declared so far by INEC in Anambra State showed that the ruling APGA clinched a majority of the seats in the 30-man state Assembly.

There had been apprehension in the state, especially among members of APGA, following the overwhelming popularity of the presidential candidate of LP, Mr Peter Obi, in the state, after the presidential election three weeks ago.

There were also allegations by Governor Chukwuma Soludo that Obi had planned to set him up for impeachment if LP clinched the majority seats in the Assembly.

However, the results declared showed that APGA clinched 17 seats in the 30-man Assembly, forming the majority.

LP won eight seats, mostly in the cosmopolitan areas of the state, with high number of non-indigenes of the state. The Young Progressives Party (YPP), through the influence of its national leader, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, won three seats, which were concentrated around Nnewi, where he hails from.

PDP won two seats in the Assembly, through the influence of Senator Stella Oduah.

EBONYI STATE

Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly and governorship candidate of APC in the state, Francis Nwifuru, won nine of the 12 local governments officially declared by INEC.

The results showed that Nwifuru won in Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Izzi, Ikwo, Afikpo North, Afikpo South, Ivo, Ohaozara and Ohaukwu local government areas, while APGA won Ezza North and Ezza South council areas. The governorship result of Ishielu local government was still awaited at press time.

PDP won in Onicha Local Government Area, where the candidate of the party, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, hails from.

From the 12 local government areas declared, APC scored 188, 649 votes, while PDP got 74,979 votes, APGA secured 48,491 votes.

DELTA STATE

Governorship candidate of PDP in Delta State, Chief Sheriff Obovrewori, won in 12 of the 14 local government areas announced so far by INEC at the collation centre in Asaba. The APC candidate and Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege came second, winning two local government areas.

The results, as announced by Electoral Officer, Professor George Owuneri, yesterday, showed that PDP polled 203,101 votes, while the opposition APC garnered 113,854 votes so far.

The ruling PDP won Ika North, Aniocha North, Ndokwa East, Ika South, Patani, Sapele, Aniocha South, Okpe, Bomadi, Ethiope East, Oshimili North, and Warri South.  APC won only in Urdu and Uvwie local government areas.

BAUCHI STATE

Governorship candidate of PDP, Senator Bala Abdukadir Mohammed, led in eight of the 10 local government areas so far declared by INEC, while his closest challenger, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar (rtd) of APC, was leading in two local governments

The results were announced by the different collation officers of the various local government areas at the INEC state collation centre. Bauchi State has 20 local government councis.

NIGER STATE

The APC candidate in Saturday’s governorship election in Niger State, Umar Mohammed Bago, may be coasting home to victory, going by the results so far announced by INEC in Minna. Of the 11 local government area results collated, Bago led his closest opponent, Isah Luman Kantigi of PDP, by winning in nine, while Kantigi won in only two council areas.

NNPP and LP trailed in that order.

KWARA STATE

Kwara State Governor and APC governorship candidate in the state, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, was declared winner of the governorship election.

AbdulRazaq defeated his main opponent, Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, of PDP by polling 273,424 votes to PDP’s 155,490.

Others, who participated in the election and lost to the winner, were the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Alhaji Hakeem Oladimeji Lawal, and NNPP candidate, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem.

JIGAWA STATE

INEC declared Alhaji Umar Namadi Dammodi as winner of the Jigawa State election.

Announcing the result, Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Professor Zayyanu Umar Birnin Kebbi, said Malam Dammodi of APC, having scored 618,449 votes, emerged winner and new elected governor of the state. He explained that the total registered voters were 2,351,298, while the total accredited voters stood at 1,073,540, and the total votes cast were 1,052,793.

Umar said while Dammodi scored 618,449, his closest rivals, PDP’s Lamido Mustapha Sule, scored 368,726 votes and Ibrahim Aminu Ringim of NNPP scored 37,156 votes.

KOGI STATE

APC won a total of 22 seats in the Kogi State House of Assembly, while the opposition parties PDP and African Democratic Congress (ADC) won the remaining three legislative seats.

Results collated from the 21 local government areas of the state revealed the pattern.  PDP won in Bassa and Ogori/Magongo local government areas, while ADC won a seat in Yagbba West Local Government Area.

EKITI STATE

Twenty-three candidates of APC won their seats in the House of Assembly election.

A statement by Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Ekiti State INEC, Temitope Akanmu, and Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ekiti State, Professor Ayobami Salami, said APC won 23 seats of the 26 seats in the Assembly, while Social Democratic Party (SDP) won two.

THISDAY, however, gathered that Ido/Osi Constituency 1 was declared inconclusive due to the disruption of the exercise by suspected hoodlums.

Candidates of SDP in Ekiti East Constituency 1, Dele Ogunsakin, and that of the Ise/Orun Constituency, Omotayo Babatunde, won the two other seats in the Assembly to defeat their closest APC rivals.

OSUN STATE

PDP in Osun State won 25 of the 26 state legislative seats, while the APC won only Boripe/ Boluwaduro State Constituency.

Governor Ademola Adeleke expressed gratitude to the people of Osun State, and extended the olive branch to the opposition.

In a statement yesterday, Adeleke celebrated the chain of victories PDP had secured in the state from July 16, 2022 to February 25, 2023 and March 18, describing the outcomes of the elections as “complete embrace of PDP by Osun people for good governance and responsive leadership.”

ABIA STATE

The situation report in Abia State, which had seen the LP candidate, Alex Otti, leading, changed midway with PDP said to have overtaken LP in the yet to be announced results.

But LP issued a warning to INEC and other relevant authorities to stop any attempt by the ruling PDP in Abia State to upturn the results of the governorship election.

National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, raised the alarm yesterday, alleging a plot by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of PDP to rewrite the results of the election after sensing defeat, saying the party has activated the process to commence a nationwide protest against what he described as sham and disregard for citizens rights.

SOKOTO STATE

INEC declared Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto of APC as the governor-elect of Sokoto State.

Announcing the results, Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Dutsinma, Professor Armiyau Hamis, said Sokoto polled 453,661 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mallam Saidu Umar of PDP, who polled 404,632 votes.

The APC governorship candidate won 17 local government areas, out of 23, while PDP won in six local governments.

KANO STATE

Gubernatorial candidate of NNPP in Kano State, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, was yesterday, ahead of his APC rival, Dr Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, in the 13 local government areas, out of the 21 so far declared at the state collation centre.

APC won nine local governments so far.

The local government areas won by NNPP were Rano, Rogo, Wudil, Karaye, kibiya, Minjibir, Gabasawa, Ajingi, Albasu, Gezawa, Garko, Tudunwada, and Bunkure.

Those won by APC were Shanono, Kunchi, Makoda, Dambatta, Warawa, Kabo, Bagwai, Takai, and Tsanyawa.

INEC Declares Kebbi Governorship Election Inconclusive

INEC’s REC in Kebbi Professor Yusuf Saidu, has declared the governorship election in Kebbi state inconclusive over what he described as irregularities which marred elections in 18 local government areas of the state.