News
Guber Polls: APC Wins In 14 States, PDP In Five
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Governor of Ogun, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, winner of the Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Duro Oni, who is the state returning officer for the election, made the declaration yesterday in Abeokuta.
Amosun, who contested the election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), beat Mr Gboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the second position.
According to the returning officer, Amosun won in 11 out of the 20 local government areas in the state.
He said that the governor polled a total of 306,988 votes of the total 578, 378 votes cast in the election in which 16 political parties contested., Isiaku scored 201,440 while the SDP candidate got 25,825.
Oni explained that 599, 486 voters were accredited out of the total 1,759,754 registered voters in the state, adding that 22, 948 votes were voided out of the total 578,378 votes cast.
The returning officer said that elections were cancelled for various reasons in nine polling centres at Odeda, Sagamu and Ogun, all waterside local governments areas of the state.
Oni, however, said that the 2,343 votes from the centres where the elections were cancelled did not affect the result of the election.
In Gombe, Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State was re-elected as governor of the state.
Dankwanbo of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 285,369 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 205,132 votes.
Announcing the result in Gombe yesterday, the Returning Officer for the state, Prof. Saminu Ibrahim, said that the governor won the polls in 10 local government areas out of the 11 in the state.
He said that the APC candidate won in one local government area, adding that African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Alhaji Jafar Abubakar, came third with 848 votes.
The returning officer consequently declared Dankwambo, with the highest votes cast, winner of the election.
He said out of the 1.1 million registered voters in the state, 535,508 were accredited while 506,768 votes were cast during the polls.
In Adamawa, half way into the collation of the Governorship election results, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has conceded defeat.
Ribadu in a statement issued by his spokesman, Malam AbdulAziz Ahmad, said he had accepted the outcome of the election in good faith.
“I came into this race with lofty dreams and clear vision for our dear state, but the voice of the majority has not given me this chance. I take this in good faith.
“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the winner and pray that at the end of it all our dear state will witness the needed progress and development it so much desires”, Ribadu said.
Ribadu lauded the support he got from President Goodluck Jonathan, party leaders and the people of Adamawa in general.
Ribadu concession statement was made shortly after the announcement of the result of 12 out of the 21 Local Government Areas of Adamawa by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The collation of the results for the remaining nine Local government areas continue.
In Kaduna, Malam Nasir El-Rufai of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has won the governorship election.
El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, defeated 14 other candidates, including Governor Mukhtar Yero who contested on the platform of the PDP.
The Returning Officer for the state, Prof. Jafar Kaura, said El-Rufai emerged victorious with 1, 117, 635 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yero of the PDP, who secured 485, 833 votes.
Kura said a total of 1, 710, 935 people were accredited for the election of which 1, 660, 109 voted.
According to him, 27, 116 votes were rejected while 65, 386 votes from 112 pulling units in 16 local government areas were cancelled due to various electoral offences.
The state has a total of 3, 357, 469 registered voters.
In reaction, Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State yesterday congratulated Malam Nasiru El-Rufai for winning the April 11 governorship election in the state.
Yero, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate, called El-Rufai on phone at about 3:00p.m to concede defeat and congratulate the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for winning the election.
Mr Samuel Aruwan, Media Officer of the state APC Campaign Council, who stated this in Kaduna, said El-Rufai thanked the governor for his magnanimity in defeat.
“He congratulated El-Rufai and wish him success, he prayed for peace and development of Kaduna State and Nigeria at large.
“El-Rufai in his response thanked Yero and wished him all the best and hope to see him soon,” Aruwan said.
The collation of the results was still going on with just one local government out of the 23 remaining as at 4:50 p.m.
In Katsina, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari, has won the governorship election in Katsina State under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Returning Officer, Prof. Lawal Bilbis, said on Sunday that Masari polled 943,085 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Musa Nashuni, who scored 476,768 votes in the Saturday’s elections.
Bilbis said that PDM candidate, Sen. Yakubu Lado, got 50,361 votes, while Alhaji Umar Abdullahi of APGA secured 42,302 votes.
According to the retuning officer, seven political parties took part in the election.
“Having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest the number of votes, Aminu Bello Masari of APC is declared the winner and returned elected,’’ Bilbis said.
He said that the election was free, fair and conducted in accordance with the law.
Also in Bauchi, the All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Bauchi State, Barr.Mohammed Abubakar, had been declared winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
Announcing the result of the election yesterday in Bauchi, the Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Faruk, said Abubakar polled 654,934 votes, to defeat nine other contestants.
His closest opponent, Mr Mohammed Jatau of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), secured 282,650 votes.
Declaring Abubakar as the winner, Prof. Faruk said that the APC candidate had satisfied Section 179(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, having garnered highest number of total votes cast, and also secured the minimum number of votes required in each of the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
With official announcement of the result, the state now has Barr. Mohammed Abubakar as the governor-elect, with Engr. Nuhu Gidado , as his deputy.
In Oyo, the incumbent Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, made history by becoming the first governor of the state to win a second term in office.
Ajimobi swept over 20 out of the 33 local government areas in the state.
Accord Party’s Senator Rasheed Ladoja trailed behind while Adebayo Alao-Akala of the Labour Party stayed in the third position. Both are former governors of the state.
The final results announced by INEC, yesterday, show that Ajimobi of APC pooled 327,310, Ladoja of Accord scored 254,520, while Taiwo Otegbeye of Action Alliance (AA) garnered 1,397.
Also, Alao-Akala of LP polled 184,111, Teslim Kolawole Folarin of PDP got 79,019 while
Seyi Makinde of SDP scored 54,740.
In Enugu, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi proved political watchers right by rushing aside all challengers to win the governorship election in the state.
Ugwuanyi beat his closest rival with 482,277 while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okey Ezea, lost with 43,839 votes.
In Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) thrashed his closest rival, Umana Okon Umana of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to emerge as the new governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Results of Saturday’s governorship election show that Udom beat Umana with 99,071 votes against 89,865 as announced in Uyo, the state capital by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The results were released at the state INEC headquarters on Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, under the watchful eyes of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barr. Austin Eni Okojie and other top officials of the commission, as well as party representatives and some journalists, shows that the closest rival party, the APC, won in only one LGA, Orue-Offong Oruko.
In Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal of APC beat Abdallah Wali of PDP with 6647,609 votes to 269,074 votes to emerge winner.
In Ebonyi, Dave Umahi of the PDP beat his closest rival Edward Nkwegu of the Labour Party with 289,867 votes to 124,817 votes to win the governorship election in the state.
In Lagos, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, beat his arch-rival, Mr. Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to become the next governor of Lagos.
The APC candidate polled 811,994 votes while the PDP candidate scored 659,788 votes.
Ambode’s victory has served to douse ethnic tension in the country’s former capital, with some creative minds coming up with a photo of Igbos in the lagoon being implored by their Yoruba friends to come out and resume their business activities as the worst is over.
Tension had flared between both ethnic groups when Oba of Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akiolu, threatened that Igbos would drown in the lagoon if they sabotaged efforts to install Ambode.
In Taraba, Senator Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan made history by becoming the first Nigerian woman to be elected a state governor.
Al-Hassan, the first female governorship candidate from the entire northern part of the country, won Saturday’s election. She ran on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
She was elected Senator for the Taraba North constituency of Taraba State in the April 2011 elections. She ran on the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) platform but later defected to APC.
INEC officially announced her winner, beating Darius Ishaku of PDP to emerge victorious.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has lamented that there is a fierce fight over the soul of the State to destroy it but noted that only the well-meaning persons who are standing firmly with him can wield the force of unity to save it.
Governor Fubara made the remark at the country home of Sir Celestine Omehia in Ubima community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.
The Governor, accompanied by some elders of the State, was in Ubima to commiserate with Sir Omehia, who had just laid his late mother, Mrs Ezinne Cecilia Omehia, to rest after 95 years.
Governor Fubara said the visit was to demonstrate love and show support to Sir Omehia who, as a son, had satisfactorily performed the duty of giving his mother a befitting burial.
He said, “I have come here with a few of us; very respected elders of the State, to come and support you and say to you that ‘we sorrow with you’.
”The most important thing is to show our concern and love. Any human being that shows enmity to death, that person is not even normal.
”We also rejoice with you for a life lived well to fulfillment by Mama. We wish Mama safe journey. Let her stay well where she has gone.”
Governor Fubara told the elders of the need for every true lover of the State to synergise and be resolute in the fight to safeguard the soul of Rivers State.
The Governor decried the evil of politics of bitterness and the telling danger it has on the progress of the State, which according to him, should be discouraged as a bad political culture in contemporary times.
Governor Fubara said: “Anybody who claims to love this State should not be party to anything, directly or indirectly, that will bring us backwards. We will continue to support every course that will advance the interest of our dear Rivers State.
”And I am happy to say, and I’ve said it over and again, it doesn’t matter the number of people that are standing with me, I will stand on that side of truth.”
The Governor emphasised: “I will not, I repeat, I will not govern our dear State on my knees (bending). If that was the purpose, I will not do that. I will stand to govern our dear State and stand continually on the side of right.
”But politics of bitterness will not take us anywhere. So, I want to thank you that, at this stage, we have a few of you who understand that Rivers State belongs to everyone of us. We must, therefore, fight together to sustain the soul of this State,” he added.
Governor Fubara also spoke about the tanker inferno that has become a sad episode in the State with over 120 vehicles razed and about five lives lost, describing it as “great tragedy and very unfortunate.
”It is a very sad day in our dear State. Something happened in Eleme, along the route of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited. A tanker had an issue with a tipper, and there was an unfortunate situation that caused the State a very devastating loss.
”I went there this morning to see for myself what really happened, and I can tell you, I’ve not been happy since then. With all the dramas in our State, it is not even proper for us to add that to it.
”But it wasn’t our fault. It was just what impatience caused. The tanker driver, knowing the state of that road was not patient, and it resulted in that colossal loss. Over 120 vehicles were completely burnt and five lives were lost. It was very unfortunate.”
He commiserated with those who lost loved ones and others whose vehicles were burnt beyond repairs, and added that the State Government mourns and grieves with them.
In his speech, Sir Celestine Omehia, expressed appreciation, on behalf of his family, to Governor Fubara, his delegation and other friends, among whom, were those he described as matured elders, for the show of love.
He said his mother died at 95 years, which is 25 years of grace added to the 70 years as specified in the Bible, and assured that he will sustain her legacy because she was their role model.
Sir Omehia also said that he was well known as a man who takes decision and stands by it no matter the consequences.
He, therefore, declared: “I have taken a decision to be SIMplified. Where ever you go (Fubara), is where I will go. If you say tomorrow, you are no more interested in this position, I will also stop fighting for anything in Rivers State.
”But, God who gave you the opportunity will also give you all the wisdom, strength, power and everything that it takes to govern the people of Rivers State and beyond.”
He assured the Governor that almost the entire people of the State, including chiefs, elders, opinion leaders, women, youths, civil society groups and professionals across all spectrums of the State were praying and working assiduously for the success of his Administration.
Sir Omehia told the Governor that it is that support and prayers of the people that he needs to succeed, because, according to him, one with God, is with majority, and will always excel and succeed.
He, therefore, urged the Governor to continue in his strides to deliver good governance, peaceful and prosperous State to the present and future generations.
Highlights of the event were the offering of prayers by leaders of Ikwerre Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers for the Governor and his Administration as well as the symbolic presentation of gifts to Governor Fubara in appreciation of his peaceful disposition and quality leadership of the State.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described as very unfortunate the fire incident caused by a tanker conveying premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol which burnt motorists and commuters beyond recognition and destroyed a good number of vehicles.
The incident occurred between Indorama Gate and Aleto Bridge on the popular and ever busy Eleme section of the East-West Road now undergoing major reconstruction by the Federal Government.
Governor Fubara expressed his sadness at the gory sights that he saw when he visited the scene of the incident, accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Uchechukwu Nwafor, on Saturday morning.
The Governor explained that he got a call from the Managing Director of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited in Eleme Local Government Area, informing him of the incident.
At the news of the incident, Governor Fubara stated that he immediate routed a call to the security agencies and instructed that they visit the scene to take charge of the security of the area to avoid escalation of the situation.
Governor Fubara said: “We are here to see for ourselves and get a first hand information of the incident of what happened yesterday night.
“About 7.30 – 8pm, we got information of the gravity of the incident. I was told that it was caused by a tanker vehicle that was conveying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
“In fact, I got the information through the MD of Indorama, and I immediately alerted the security agencies to make sure they take control of the security situation in the area.
“And from what we are seeing this morning, it was not a pleasant case. We recorded a huge number of vehicles being destroyed and lives lost.
Governor Fubara explained that he had already requested the relevant government agencies to provide him a detailed account of their findings to enable the State Government take appropriate decisions and actions to significantly remedy the situation and reduce the negative on the affected people.
“I have already asked the relevant agencies to give us a full brief so that we can come into the situation fully by seeing to how much we can support the families that are bereaved, and also cushion the effect of the loses, which I believe, is no fault of a good number of them.
“We all know the situation of this road. It is really unfortunate. Most of our people, when plying this road, should ply it with caution.
“I believe very strongly that this situation would have been avoidable, if the motorists had behaved properly. But it is late already. The damage has happened. This is the situation we have found ourselves. We will see how we can control the aftermath,” he added.
Rivers State Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, has described King Dandeson Douglas Jaja as a great and humble King who has continued to be a light to the Kingdom of Opobo and Rivers State.
Prof Odu stated this during a thanksgiving service to mark the monarch’s 82nd birthday at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Opobo Town, yesterday.
According to the Deputy Governor, on a special day like this, she wishes him God’s grace and innumerable blessings, stressing that his reign shall be long in good health.
In his testimony, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, who disclosed that he is nothing without God, said his life has been God’s Gift and Grace all these years, stressing that it is the Grace of God that has brought him this far.
The king seized the moment to announce the conferment of the King Jaja Manila Tree Award, which is the highest honour in Opobo Kingdom to the State Chief Executive, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and the BALOLO of Opobo Award to Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, the Deputy Governor on a date to be announced later.
In his Sermon, drawn from Psalm 122: 6,7,8, Ven. Emanuel Nwuju, the Vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo Town, who spoke on the theme “Good Gifts Comes from God “said God has given us everything we enjoy in life, adding that whatever you are today is a gift from God.
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