*As PDP wins Bayelsa, C’River senatorial, Obudu C’River state assembly seats
*Bauchi gov asks PDP to accept defeat
*INEC declares Zamfara process inconclusive
The pattern of bye-election results so far released has shown that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is sustaining its popularity winning three of five senatorial seats in five states of Plateau, Imo, Cross River, Bayelsa and Lagos so far released with three of four state House of Assembly elections Katsina, Bauchi, Ross River and Kogi states.
The APC takes this lead winning Plateau South, Imo North and Lagos West senatorial seats, while Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) so far settles down with Cross River North and Bayelsa West senatorial seats.
In the four states where Assembly elections held, results released so far show APC taking three in Kogi, Katsina, Bauchi while PDP takes one in Cross River thereby putting APC ahead as still the strongest and most popular political party in Nigeria in spite of everything.
In the meantime, the bye-election in Zamfara has been declared by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as inconclusive.
State-to-state details as follows:
Imo: APC wins
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Imo North senatorial district bye-election but unable to return any APC candidate.
The returning officer, Hakeem Adigun who announced the result said the APC scored a total of 36, 811 votes to beat his rival from the Peoples Democratic Party, Emmanuel Okewulonu who scored 31, 903 votes.
According to the electoral body, the decision not to declare any candidate as the winner is due to several court orders authenticating the true candidate of the party in the bye-election.
It could be recalled that 24 hours to the election, a Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri gave a judgment disqualifying Ifeanyi Ararume as APC’s candidate.
On the same day, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja also disqualified Frank Ibezim from contesting the election.
Ibezim was disqualified on the grounds that he made false statements/declarations in the affidavit and documents submitted to the APC.
Meanwhile, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has reacted to the outcome of the election where INEC declared APC the winner of the election without returning any candidate.
Speaking to journalists at the Government House in Owerri, Uzodinma thanked the people of the senatorial district for voting overwhelmingly for the APC, noting that the victory has shown once again that Imo is an APC state.
Governor Uzodinma, however, said he will not join any issues with INEC, adding that with the recent Court of Appeal judgment and the statement from the APC National Executive Committee, Frank Ibezim is the authentic candidate.
Lagos: APC’s Abiru wins
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tokunbo Abiru, has emerged winner in the Lagos East Senatorial bye-election which held Saturday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that Abiru polled a total of 89,204 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Babatunde Gbadamosi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 11,257 votes, leaving a margin of 77,947 votes.
The INEC Returning Officer for the by-election, Prof. Ademola Oremosu of the University of Lagos, declared the result at the Somolu collation centre on Sunday.
He said out of the total registered voters of 1,261,673 in the district, the total accredited voters was 104, 894, the total vote cast was 104, 405, the total valid votes was 102, 336, while the rejected votes were 2,069.
Abiru defeated his opponent by a wide margin in all the five local government areas of Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Kosofe, Shomolu and Ikorodu in Lagos East senatorial district.
The senatorial seat became vacant following the death of the former occupant, Bayo Oshinowo, earlier this year.
Candidates from 12 political parties contested in the Lagos East Senatorial bye-elections while eight candidates contested the Kosofe Constituency II, Lagos State House of Assembly by-elections.
Below are the results of the APC and PDP candidates in the senatorial election across the five LGAs:
Shomolu
APC: 17,728
PDP: 2,067
Epe
APC: 22,213
PDP: 1,826
Ibeju Lekki
APC: 16,336
PDP: 937
Ikorodu
APC: 19,204
PDP: 3,766
Kosofe
APC: 13,723
PDP: 2,661
Bauchi: APC wins state Assembly seat
Mr Bala Ali of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has won the bye-election for Dass Constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly.
His victory followed the conclusion of voting and counting of ballots in the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the seat which had been declared vacant.
INEC’s Returning Officer for the election, Professor Ahmed Mohammed of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University announced Ali as the winner of the poll on Saturday at the collation centre in the state.
According to him, the APC candidate polled a total of 12,299 votes to defeat Lawal Umar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 11,062 votes.
The result was announced in a rowdy and tensed atmosphere after the agent of the PDP raised an objection to the results announced.
While the PDP agent claimed that the exercise was disrupted and people left the premises, the agent of the APC insisted that nobody left the area.
In his response, the returning officer insisted on reading the results and asked the agents to put their complaints in writing.
Channels Television monitored the election during which an incident of an alleged attempt to buy votes was reported.
The incident involved a former Head of Service in Bauchi State who was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Although the suspect’s name was not revealed, the government official was said to be making an attempt to commit the crime and not caught in the act.
He was, however, released on bail after fulfilling the conditions of the EFCC and asked to report to the zonal office of the anti-graft agency in Gombe State at a later date.
In his reaction, the counsel to the government official, Barrister Muktar, stressed that his client was arrested based on a suspicion that he had money in his car on the day of an election.
PDP wins Cross River senatorial, state seats
Stephen Odey of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the Cross River North senatorial bye-election which held on December 5 with a landslide.
The Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) declared the PDP candidate the winner of the election on Sunday.
INEC Returning Officer, Professor Ameh Akor Dennis, who made the announcement, said Odey swept to victory in the five local government areas of Cross River State.
He polled a total of 129,207 votes to defeat his opponent of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Joe Aji who got 19,165 votes.
“I Professor Amen Akor Denis hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the 2020 Senatorial Bye-election officer held on the 5th day of December 2020 for the northern Senatorial District Bye-election,” Dennis said.
“I hereby proceed that Stephen Adi Odey of PDP having certified the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner elected.”
The senatorial seat became vacant following the death of the former occupant, Rose Oko who died in March.
Below are the results of the APC and PDP candidates in the senatorial election across the five LGAs:
Yala
APC: 8,081
PDP: 45,718
Obudu
APC- 3,300 VOTES
PDP- 31,551 VOTES
Bekwarra
APC: 2,576
PDP: 21,195
Ogoja
APC: 2,654
PDP: 16,235
Obanliku
APC: 2,554
PDP: 14,508
Total Votes:
APC: 19,165
PDP: 129,207
Cross River
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Maria Godwin Akwaji, in the Obudu State constituency of Cross River State has won the election with a landslide.
Akwaji was declared the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday.
INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Abel Ezeoha, said Akwaji won with a landslide victory of 32, 166 votes beating her closest opponent of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abor Adaje Godwin who garnered 3, 546 votes.
Maria is wife to the former occupant of the seat, Godwin, who died in June.
With this development, she now succeeds her husband to represent the people of Obudu constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly.
Her husband, Akwaji died at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital two weeks after he was admitted.
Although his death could not be ascertained, there have been rumours that the late lawmaker had COVID-19 complications.
Breaking: APC wins Plateau South Senate seat
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Plateau south senatorial by-election, Prof. Nora Dabu’ut, has been declared winner.
According to the results announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Idris A Male, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lafia, Nassarawa state, in Shendam, said, Dabu’ut polled a total of 83,151 votes while George Daika, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival, secured 70,838 votes.
The first female academician, Prof Dabu’ut defeated her opponent in 4 out of the six local government areas in the senatorial district. while the PDP candidate, Daika, won in 2 local Government Areas.
BELOW ARE RESULTS OF ALL THE LGAs.
LANGTANG NORTH
APC: 12241
PDP: 16841
Difference: 4,600
LANGTANG SOUTH
APC: 9321
PDP: 12439
Difference: 3,118
MIKANG
APC: 8425
PDP: 7887
Difference: 538
SHENDAM
APC: 18542
PDP: 10223.
Difference 8,319.
QUAN-PAN LGA
APC: 12,784
PDP: 10, 641.
Difference: 2,143
WASE
APC: 21,838
PDP: 12,807
Difference: 9,031
TOTAL
APC: 83,151
PDP: 70,838
MARGIN OF WIN: 12,313
PDP wins Bayelsa West
A former governor of Bayelsa State and senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has been declared winner of Saturday’s bye-election in the state.
Dickson defeated the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC),Peremobowei Ebebi.
The former Bayelsa governor polled a total of 115,257 votes to defeat his rival, Ebebi.
The APC candidate polled a total of 17,500 votes to come second in the keenly contested bye-election.
APC wins Katsina by-election as Bauchi gov asks PDP to accept defeat
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Korami of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of Saturday’s state House of Assembly by-election for the Bakori Constituency seat in Katsina State.
The Returning Officer for the exercise, Prof. Aminu Dalha Kankia, who announced the results in Bakori, yesterday, said the APC candidate polled 20,446 votes while his closest rival, Aminu Magaji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 11,356 votes.
He commended stakeholders, including security agencies, for their maturity and understanding before, during and after the election.
Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Masari, while receiving the election outcome, commended the party, the election committee and other stakeholders who ensured a successful outing during the exercise.
He, however, urged the winner to hit the ground running by coming up with bills that would lead to an improved socio-economic environment for his constituency.
In another development, according to The Guardian, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has urged members and supporters of the PDP to accept defeat of Saturday’s bye-election in Dass State Constituency to fill a vacant seat in the House of Assembly.
Mohammed, in his message to party members, yesterday, said PDP must learn from its mistakes and re-strategise for future elections.
The APC, which controls the Assembly, has been declared winner by INEC.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Ahmed Mohammed of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, who announced the results in Dass, said the candidate of APC polled 12,299 while Lawal Wundi of PDP scored 11,062 votes.
Mohammed enjoined PDP loyalists to see the defeat as a will of God, while encouraging the party faithful not to be divided by the temporary setback.
APC’s Atule emerges winner of Kogi bye-election
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Mr Egbunu Atule of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the Ibaji Local Government constituency bye-election of Kogi State, conducted on December 5.
The INEC Returning Officer, Prof Rotimi Ajayi, who announced the results of the election on Sunday at Onyadega, headquarters of the local government, said that Atule polled 8,515 votes to emerge the winner of the poll.
Ajayi also announced that Mr Daniel Enefola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second having scored 4,565 votes.
Six other parties also fielded candidates for the election. They included SDP, AA, ADC, AAC, APM and NRM.
The election was conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of John Abah also of the APC, which occurred in June.
PT/NAN
INEC declares Bakura by-election inconclusive in Zamfara
The INEC returning officer of the Bakura state House of Assembly by-election in Zamfara has declared the exercise inconclusive.
Ibrahim Magawata, a professor, said after the collation of the result of the votes cast, the two major contenders, -the APC and PDP – scored 16,464 and 18,645 respectively, giving a difference of 2,181.
Mr Magawata further said the results from 14 polling units were cancelled due to over voting.
He also said that some polling units scored zero due to ballot box snatching, violence, assault on INEC officials and burning of election materials by thugs.
According to him, the cancellation of the 14 polling units affected 11,429 voters which is higher than the margin announced and so declared the election inconclusive.
Meanwhile, the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to brief the media on the development and the next line of action.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that tension was high in Bakura some days to the election leading to the deployment of more security personnel.
There were also accusations and counter accusations especially on rigging and intimidation between the former state governor, Abdulaziz Yari (APC) and Gov. Bello Matawalle (PDP).
The development created conflict among the supporters of the two political parties. PT/NAN
