The People’s Democratic Party governorship primaries held nationwide except for a few states like Ekiti, Osun who won’t hold any governorship elections next year, were not so hitch free as there were some forms of violence, protests, staged walkouts amongst other vices.
Unfortunately, as it is normal while conducting elections in Nigeria, most of the primaries didn’t start until very late in the day and invariably went into the night.
It was a day of mixed feelings and upsets where expectedly some went home dejected and others in celebration mood.
In many states, anointed candidate of the incumbent governor emerged the flag bearer of the party to the disapproval of other opponents.
While in Rivers, former minister of education Nyesom Wike, perceived as the anointed aspirant of President Goodluck Jonathan, picked the ticket of the party, in Akwa Ibom, the governor’s candidate, Emmanuel Udom, emerged the candidate of the party. It was a similar case in Niger State where the governor’s chief of staff, Umar Nasko, was elected to contest the governorship election.
Similarly, the chief of staff to Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, scaled through the primary, while in Enugu, four candidates in four factional primaries were elected to fly the party’s gubernatorial flag in 2015.
In Katsina State, eight out of the nine aspirants staged a walkout from the election venue, while Akwa Ibom and Rivers states witnessed a boycott of the exercise by other candidates who described the exercise as “charade”.
Former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin defeated other aspirants to win the Oyo State gubernatorial ticket. Six governorship aspirants, including former state governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Engineer Seyi Makinde, Femi Babalola Kehinde Olaosebikan, former deputy governor Taofeek Arapaja and Dr. Babalola Owolabi shunned the primaries.
The presiding officer, Abba Aji disclosed that Folarin polled 167 votes to beat other nine contestants. According to him, there were 211 votes, 14 invalid votes, and 198 valid votes.
The governorship primary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State was yesterday held under tight security. The 208 delegates, it was gathered, were given N250,000 each by one of the aspirants and were lodged in a hotel for three days.
Two of the governorship aspirants, Senator Ayo Adeseun and Professor Taoheed Adedoja left the venue at the middle of the exercise.
In Rivers state, Wike emerged the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State, polling 1,083 votes to beat his closest rival, Hon. Dumbari Ben-Dimkpa, who got 21 votes.
The PDP governorship primary, supervised by the chairman of the party gubernatorial election panel for Rivers State, Hon. Etifa Bekeakpo was held amidst tight security.
Wike and Ben-Dimkpa as well as three other governorship aspirants, including Hon. Ibinabo Michael-West, who scored three votes, and Senator Lee Maeba and Mr. Emmanuel Georgewill, who scored one vote each, participated in the primary, but 16 other aspirants stayed away from the exercise.
In Imo state, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, won the PDP governorship primary conducted in Imo State yesterday.
Ihedioha got 346 votes to beat his closest rival, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume who polled 336 votes. Former state governor Ihedi Ohakim came third with 213 votes. A total of 1,064 delegates were accredited for the election and 1,017 delegates voted.
The story isn’t different in Nassarawa state as a retired federal civil servant, Dr. Yusuf Agabi, emerged winner of the PDP governorship primary in Nasarawa State as he defeated the former minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, Senator Solomon Ewuga and six other contestants.
Agabi polled 214 votes, his closest opponent Maku got 160 votes, and former governor Aliyu Akwe Doma had 129 votes while initial favourite Sen. Ewuga got 31.
Leave a Reply