The All Progressives Congress (APC) which held its governorship primaries yesterday across the country has, in some states, produced clear winners, while those of other states are being awaited.
One of the clear winners yesterday include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
Tambuwal, yesterday emerged the winner of the governorship primary election of the All Progressive Congress(APC) in Sokoto State.
Tambuwal polled 3,466 votes to defeat Senator Umar Dahiru Tambuwal who scored 23 votes, Yushau Kebbe polled 13 votes while Prof. Lawal Bashar and Aliyu Sayinna did not record any vote.
Declaring the result of the election at the Giginya Stadium in Sokoto Thursday night, the Chairman of the 4-man Electoral Panel, Mr. Khalil Bolaji, described the primary election as peaceful and free and fair devoid of violence.
Bolaji maintained that the Panel adhered strictly to the party’s guidelines in the conduct of the election.
“By the authority vested on me, I hereby pronounce Tambuwal as the winner of this election,”Bolaji said.
He commended the delegates for the way they conducted themselves in an orderly manner during the election.
In a remark, Tambuwal described the election as transparent and commended the delegates for conducting themselves in an orderly manner.
He pledged to carry the people along and expressed confidence of emerging victorious in the 2015 election.
Tambuwal said he would pay attention to education, health, agriculture and empowerment of the youths, if given the mandate.
He also expressed gratitude to Governor Aliyu Wamakko for the way he has been providing leadership for the party in the state and promised to continue from where he stopped.
“I really commend Wamakko for the way he has been providing leadership to our people and I pledge to continue with the good works,”Tambuwal said.
Ambode emerge in Lagos
Akinwunmi Ambode, the man widely believed to have been anointed by Bola Tinubu, a former Lagos governor and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress [APC], has defeated his 12 challengers for the APC governorship ticket in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, by a landslide.
About 5,700 delegates from 20 local government areas cast their votes for the 13 candidates who sought the ticket of the party.
Although counting is still on, more than 3, 500 votes have been counted for Mr. Ambode. His votes are by far higher than those of all the other contenders for the ticket.
Other candidates scored as follows: Lanre Ope [0 vote ], Tokunbo Wahab [7 votes], Adekunle Disu [9 votes], Abayomi Sutton [0 vote], Tokunbo Agbesanwa [0 vote], Adeyemi Ikuforiji [182 votes], Tola Kasali [68 votes], Supo Shasore [121 votes], Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS) [272 votes], Lekan Pitan [112 votes], Obafemi Hamzat [1,201].
The exercise was largely peaceful but with Mr. Tinubu discreetly anointing a candidate, it was a one-sided race all along, with Mr. Ambode largely projected to win. He did not prove bookmakers wrong.
Mr. Ambode, 51, is a former Accountant-General for Lagos.
Akwa-Ibom: Umana is It!
Former Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government (SSG) Umana Okon Umana has emerged the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. He secured 2, 444 votes to become the winner at the primaries held at the Uyo township stadium.
Results of others aspirants showed that Senator John Udoedehe had six votes, Group Captain Sam Ewang, one vote while Emmanuel Ekpenyong got two votes. The election was conducted through option A4 system. The materials for the primaries were reportedly hijacked by Udoedehe and his supporters hence the conduct through option A4. Policemen and State Security Service (SSS) were said to have watched the materials for primaries taken away helpless.
Enugu: Ezea Emerges Unchallenged
A two-time gubernatorial candidate in Enugu State, Mr Okey Ezea yesterday emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Ezea who emerged unopposed at the party primaries which took place at the APC secretariat in Enugu had contested for the position on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) in 2007 and 2011 elections.
His emergence followed a voice vote by the 3467 delegates drawn from the 260 wards in the state.
Ezea’s initial opponent, Ifeanyi Asogwa was said to have withdrawn to contest for the Nsukka/Igboeze South federal constituency seat.
In his acceptance speech, Ezea pledged to provide free education, qualitative health care delivery and improved welfare scheme for the people of the state if elected as governor next year.
He accused the People Democratic Party (PDP) led federal and state government of total failure in the past 16 years, noting that the best for the nation at this point in time is for Nigerians to give their mandate to the APC.
Ezea who specifically said the present administration in the state had received a whopping N544 billion in the past 8 years without anything to show for it noted that he was ready to offer an accountable and transparent leadership for the state by next year.
In his speech, chairman of APC in the state, Dr Ben Nwoye said the opposition party was ready to wrestle power from the ruling party, noting that already their 24 House of Assembly candidates had emerged and ready for the battle ahead.
Gov Ahmed Emerges as sole governorship candidate in Kwara
As expected, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed emerged yesterday when about 3,025 delegates of the party in Kwara State affirmed the candidature of the state governor, as the sole governorship candidate of the party for next year general elections.
The affirmation of governor Ahmed as the sole governorship candidate of the party was based on his recent endorsement by the stakeholders of the party led by Senator Bukola Saraki.
At the Ilorin Sports Stadium, venue of the governorship primary of the party yesterday, the delegates which comprised over 3,025, affirmed the earlier endorsement of governor Ahmed.
The delegates were drawn from the 16 local government councils of the state.
The affirmation was done in the presence of the chairman, Electoral Committee of APC, Abuja Prince Azu Uwandu and the representatives of INEC, Alhaji Sheu Abdulwahad.
The delegates from each 16 local government councils of the party were later called one by one and they all voted for the candidature of governor Ahmed as the sole governorship candidate of the party.
Speaking at the venue of the primary yesterday, the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Isola Balogun Fulani said the affirmation of governor Ahmed by the delegates from the 16 local government councils was a constitutional requirement that must be done.
Also speaking, the leader of the APC in the state and senator representing Kwara central senatorial district at the national assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki described the primary as smooth and peaceful.
He said that, the struggle was not a personal interest but to rescue the country from the oppressed people.
Saraki also said that, the forthcoming presidential primary would not break the party but that it would consolidate it to move the nation forward.
In his acceptance speech, the state governor and governorship candidate of APC, Alhaji Ahmed promised to consolidate his efforts on the past achievements so as to add more values to the socio economic development of the state.
He called on the people of the state to continue to cast their votes for the APC in order to move the state forward.
