Plateau
Caleb Mutfwang polled 252 votes, beating 14 other aspirants, to win the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to contest in the 2023 governorship election. Before the primary commenced, four aspirants had voluntarily stepped down and declined to continue the contest.
An analysis of the votes showed that a total of 600 votes were cast. The first runner-up, Wungak Kefas, scored 113 votes, while the second runner-up, Alfred Dapal Ali, scored 92 votes.
Three of the aspirants with the worst showing polled zero, one, two and three votes, among them a former ambassador and minister.
In his acceptance speech, Mutfwang said there was no winner or vanquished, adding that the victory belonged the party, Plateau State and the people.
He promised to reach out to his co-contestants for their co-operation and understanding, which will crystallise the desired synergy for good governance and development.
He said the transparency and credibility of the whole process which encouraged all contenders to accept the outcome, underscores the new positive spirit driving the PDP and called on the people to leverage this and vote the PDP to power in 2023 to enthrone a repositioned Plateau State.
Lagos
The Lead Visioner, Lagos4Lagos Movement, Dr Olajide Adediran (Jandor), on Wednesday clinched the PDP ticket for the 2023 governorship election in Lagos State, thereby setting the stage for a tough battle with the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the main election.
Declaring the results of the primary in Ikeja, the Chairman of the Lagos PDP Electoral Committee/Returning Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ogidi, said that Adediran scored 679 votes to defeat his closest contender, Mr David Kolawole Vaughan, who polled 20 votes.
Ogidi, who noted that there were 775 ad hoc delegates for the primaries, said that 709 were accredited for the election. According to him, 10 votes were voided in the election.
He said, “The total number of accredited voters is 709, and Olajide Adediran got 679 votes, DAKOVA (David Kolawole Vaughan) had 20 and we had 10 voided votes.
“Having satisfied all the requirements in our guidelines, I want to announce Dr Olajide Adediran as our candidate after scoring the highest number of votes. He is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Before announcing the results, he said that delegates from Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area failed to see reason with the committee over alleged discrepancies on the list of delegates.
He, however, commended the aspirants and delegates for their peaceful conduct and sportsmanship throughout the process.
In his victory speech, Adediran, who acknowledged the aspirants that stepped down for him and his contender, said he was ready to face the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He pledged to sit with all aspirants and leaders of the party to tap from their wealth of knowledge and experience in a bid to win Lagos state for PDP.
Adediran, who applauded all the delegates for their trust in giving him the party’s ticket, promised to bring governance to the grassroots.
Adamawa
No fewer than 663 delegates voted Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State last Wednesday as the PDP candidate for the 2023 governorship election, thus handing him the opportunity to contest for a second term in office.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee for the primary election, Gibon Katabs, made the announcement in Yola after the exercise.
Fintiri was the only contestant in the election, following the disqualification of Jamil Waziri by the screening committee.
Katabs said that 668 delegates were accredited, but there were five invalid votes.
“Governor Ahmadu Fintiri scored 663 valid votes and is hereby returned as the governorship candidate of PDP for Adamawa in 2023,’’ he said.
Katabs also commended the delegates for the successful primary election.
In his acceptance speech, Fintiri thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him to run for a second term in office.
Kano
Alhaji Muhammad Abacha, son of late military Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, has emerged as the PDP’s candidate for the 2023 governorship election in Kano State.
Abacha polled 736 votes to defeat his closest rival, Jafar Sani-Bello, who scored 710 votes in the primary election.
The Returning Officer, Hajiya Amina Garba, declared Abacha as the winner of the primaries. The Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Alhaji Mohammed Jamu, said the primaries were legally conducted with validly-elected delegates and supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police and operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS).
Kebbi
A retired Army general, Aminu Bande, polled 471 votes to win the PDP governorship primary election in Kebbi State. He defeated four other aspirants to clinch the party’s ticket to contest in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
Kwara
A former member of the House of Representatives, Yahman Abdullahi, beat two other aspirants, Prof Issa Gana and Ahmad Pategi, to emerge as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Kwara State.
The Chairman of the electoral committee of the governorship primary and the returning officer, Niyi Owolade, announced the result of the election at about 10 pm on Wednesday night.
Owolade said that Abdullahi polled 518 out of the total 574 votes cast, while Pategi got 31 votes and Gana 14.
According to him, 574 of the total number of 591 delegates were accredited, while 11 votes were voided.
Abdullahi, a former lawmaker representing the Pategi/Lafiagi/Moro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.
He defected to the PDP six weeks ago and collected the forms to contest the governorship ticket.
Abdullahi, in his acceptance speech, thanked his co-contestants for accepting the outcome of the election. He called for the cooperation of all members of the party so that the PDP would become victorious in the 2023 general election in the state.
Sokoto
A former Secretary to the Sokoto State Government (SSG), Mallam Sa’idu Umar (Mallam Ubandoman Sokoto), was declared winner of the PDP governorship primary in the state
The former Commissioner for Environment in the state, Sagir Bafarawa, who also took a shot at the position, will now be Umar’s running mate.
In the exercise supervised by Dr Tom Zakari from the party’s national headquarters, Alhaji Umar polled 695 votes of the total 755 delegates.
Other aspirants for the governorship position, who stepped down for Alhaji Umar, were a former Deputy Governor in the state, Mukhtar Shagari and the current PDP chairman of the state, Bello Aliyu Goronyo.
Speaking at the occasion held at the International Conference Centre, Kasarawa, Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal thanked the delegates for a smooth conduct of the governorship primaries.
He commended the members and leaders of the PDP in the state for their patriotism and loyalty in all of the process, assuring that he would work hard to ensure that the party emergs victorious in the 2023 general election in 2023.
Kaduna
Isah Ashiru has won the PDP governorship primary held in Kaduna, to emerge the party’s candidate for the 2023 governorship election.
Ashiru scored 414 to defeat Sani Sidi with 260, Ramalan Yero with 28, Sani Abbas 15, Haruna Saeed 11 and Shehu Sani with 2, invalid votes 30.
The Returning Officer, Chief Raymond Dabo, former PDP Chairman, plateau state announced the result.
Ashiru was the PDP flagbearer in the 2019 governorship election, but he lost to governor Nasir El-rufai of the APC.
Rivers
The immediate past Accountant-General of Rivers State, Fubara Siminialayi, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the PDP for the 2023 general election in the state.
A total of 16 aspirants contested the primary after a series of meetings and consultations led by Governor Nyesom Wike failed to yield a consensus.
Siminialayi, who hails from Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of the state, polled 721 out of a total votes cast of 890 to emerge the overall winner.
Fubara, widely acknowledged as Wike’s first choice aspirant, emerged winner at the primary concluded on Wednesday night at the Obi Wale Cultural Centre in Port Harcourt, with majority delegates swayed by the governor’s will.
Giving his acceptance speech, he said, “I don’t even know what to say. I wish I had prepared 20 years for this. I all I can say is that victory for Fubara is victory for Rivers PDP and victory for Rivers State.”
Among the aspirants that participated in the primaries were former deputy governors, Tele Ikuru and Felix Obuah; the immediate past Chairman of the PDP in the state, Dr Tammy Danagogo; Secretary to the State Government, George Kelly; Special Adviser to Governor Wike on Projects and Dr. Abiye Sekibo former Minister of Transportation.
Meanwhile, some of the aspirants, including Sekibo, former senator Lee Maeba, Gabriel Pidomson and Obuah boycotted the exercise despite commencing the process.
Delta
The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, was declared winner of the PDP governorship primary in the state.
THEWILL reports that Oborevwori polled 590 votes to emerge as the candidate of the PDP in Delta State for the 2023 governorship election.
The primary election, which was held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, the State Capital, saw 825 delegates accredited to vote.
Oborevwori defeated David Edevbie, who scored 107 votes to clinch the party’s ticket. Others who lost in the primary were Senator James Manager (83 votes),
Olorogun Fred Majemite (6 votes), Peter Mrakpor (9 votes), Kingsley Otuaro (9 votes) and Omizu Odebala (4 votes).
A total of 14 aspirants were announced for the governorship primary election, but only 13 were present at the venue.
Other governorship aspirants that took part in the primary election are Abel Esievo, Chris Iyovwaye, Braduce Angozi, Lucky Oroye, Onajefe Gift and Ike Arariboro.
Taraba
Lt Col Kefas Agbu Rtd, has emerged governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba state, following the primary elections of the Party.
Kefas Agbu won the primaries, defeating other aspirants at the poll with 443 votes in Jalingo on Wednesday.
Others , who contested alongside Kefas were, Speaker of the House, Hon. Albasu Kunini,31 votes; Pof Jerome,24 votes, Sen.Joel Ikenya,11 and Bubajoda Mafindi , 6votes respectively.
In his acceptance speech, Kefas promised to run an inclusive government that will build on the legacies of Governor Ishaku.
Akwa Ibom
Pastor Umo Eno, the preferred successor of the incumbent governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has emerged the flagbearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 governorship elections in the state.
At the delegates election, held at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Eno polled a total of 993 votes out of the 1,018 delegates accredited for the exercise, to defeat 13 other aspirants.
Others who took part in the exercise were James Iniama, Aniekan Etim, Mike Enyong, Senator Bassey Albert and Akan Okon.
Others include Onofiok Luke, Umoh Idorenyin James and Ide Owodiong.
THEWILL reports that before the commencement of the exercise, Onofiok Luke, Senator Bassey Akpan Albert and Prince Aniekan Etim, among others had issued statements boycotting the exercise.
They cited a subsisting court order in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/606/22, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, as the reason for the decision to boycott the primary.
However, when the matter came up last Tuesday, Counsel to the 2nd –1st defendants, Uwemedimo Nwoko SAN, argued that the status quo ante bellum advice by the court was misrepresented by the plaintiffs to mean an order of court to stop the primaries from holding.
The court had agreed that it never stopped the primaries of the PDP in its order and urged the plaintiffs to go ahead with their arguments on the preliminary objections over jurisdiction and locus standi brought by the defendants.
Counsel to Plaintiff, Ahmed Raji, also appealed for more time to study the preliminary objections filed by the defendants. The defendants raised no objection to his plea, after which the matter was adjourned to Wednesday, 1st of June, 2022 for further hearing.
The exercise was supervised by the Akwa Ibom State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, alongside other officials of the Commission, who were on hand to monitor the exercise in line with constitutional provisions.
The Akwa Ibom PDP Governorship Primary Committee had Edo Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, as Chairman, while Mr Edwards Ayo-Odugbesan served as Secretary. Other members of the six-man Committee were Hon Mamman Usman, Hon Stephen Ibrahim, Barr K, Njoku and Mariam Bala.
Some aspirants, who lost the primary have congratulated Pastor Umo Eno for emerging victorious at the primary.
By Ayo Esan, Ukandi Odey, Christiana Babayo and Udeme Utip
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
