As predicted by political analysts, the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in states across the country were characterised by gunfire, parallel elections, protests and walkouts staged by some of the dissatisfied candidates. But in many states, it was generally peaceful.
In several state, the governorship primaries started late in the day, with many of them lasting well into the night. Serving governors, Ramallan Yero of Kaduna and his Gombe State counterpart Ibrahim Dankwabbo got the PDP ticket to contest for a second term in office.
In many states, anointed candidate of the incumbent governor emerged the flag bearer of the party to the, as would be expected, disapproval of other opponents. Continue after the cut...
In Lagos, the leading PDP governorship contestant and ex-Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro has described as a sham the governorship primary election held in the state by his party.
While in Rivers, ex-minister of state for Education, Nyesom Wike, perceived as the anointed aspirant of the Presidency, 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.
Funny enough, in Enugu, four candidates in four factional primaries were elected the party’s gubernatorial flag bearers 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”.
Imo State: Emeka Ihedioha
Deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, has 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.
Rivers State: Nyesom Wike
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.
Niger State: Alhaji Umar Mohammed Nasko
Former Chief of Staff Alhaji Umar Mohammed Nasko clinched the governorship ticket, polling 908 votes to beat eight other challengers among them the Niger State deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto who scored 34 votes. Former Minister of Commerce, Mustapha Bello, scored 11 votes like Alhaji Sahabi Danrangi, while Engineer Hannafi Sudan returned 57 votes.
Alhaji Dukku and former Kano State governor Aminu Isa Kontagora did not get any vote.
However, the aspirants, in a joint press conference addressed by Mustapha Bello, rejected the election, saying it was full of aberrations.
Kaduna State: Gov Mukhtar Ramalan Yero
Abia State: Dr Okezie Ikpeazu
Dr Okezie Ikpeazu was declared winner of the Abia State PDP governorship primary. He scored 487 votes to defeat seven other contestants including the former Minister of Labour and Productivity Chief Emeka Wogu who scored 33 votes to come third. Oil magnet and owner of Masters Energy Ltd, Dr Uche Ogah, came second with 103 votes.
Oyo State: Senator Teslim Folarin
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.
Enugu State: 4 Candidates Emerge
No fewer than four PDP gubernatorial candidates emerged in Enugu State as parallel primaries took place in different parts of Enugu, the state capital yesterday.
Senator Ayogu Eze was elected in one of the primaries conducted in Filbon Hotel premises, New Haven, Enugu.
While a total of 672 delegates were accredited for the primaries, the Returning Officer, Prince Obi Nkwonta, announced that Eze polled 526 votes to beat his closest rival Mr. Chinedu Onu, who scored 31 votes. Eleven votes were declared invalid.
Meanwhile, PDP Election Committee, led by King Asara Asara, held another gubernatorial primary at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, where by press time Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was coasting to victory.
LEADERSHIP gathered that Dr. Sam Maduka Onyishi, and Professor Onyeke Onyeke held their own primaries at different locations in the state capital.
Adamawa State: Nuhu Ribadu
Former EFCC chairman Malam Nuhu Ribadu emerged the PDP governorship candidate for Adamawa State, polling 688 votes to beat Marcus Gundiri, 33 votes, and Auwal Tukur (son of former PDP chairman Bamanga Tukur), 24 votes.
Akwa Ibom State: Udom Emmanuel
Apart from Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, Governor Akpabio preferred candidate, all other aspirants for the 2015 governorship race in Akwa Ibom State boycotted the delegates’ poll to choose the party’s candidate for the election next year.
All 23 aspirants staged a walkout, citing irregularities and lack of transparency in the exercise.
Katsina State: Engr Musa Nashuni
Engr Musa Nashuni, the anointed candidate of Governor Ibrahim Shema, has clinched the ticket, polling 1,309 votes to defeat eight other candidates at the party’s primary election, which held at the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Katsina yesterday.
Ebonyi State: Chief Dave Umahi
The Ebonyi State deputy governor and former PDP chairman in the state, Chief Dave Umahi emerged the governorship candidate of the party, polling 541 votes to defeat his closest rival Senator Igwe Nwagu (PDP, Ebonyi Central) who polled 15 votes.
Jigawa State: Malam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim
The chief of staff to Jigawa State governor Malam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim emerged the PDO governorship flag bearer. He was unopposed after two other contestant cleared by the party withdrew from the race few minutes to its commencement.
Cross River State: Senator Ben Ayade
Vice chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Ben Ayade, emerged as the PDP governorship candidate in Cross River after scoring 752 votes to defeat his Mr. Goddy Jedy Agba and Mr. Francis Eworo with five votes each.
Delta: Senator Ifeanyi Okowa
Serving Senator Ifeanyi Okowa representing Delta North senatorial district in the upper chamber of the National Assembly polled 406 votes to defeat David Edevbie who scored 299 votes
Announcing the results, the returning officer, Mr. Sunday Karimu, declared that Senator Okowa scored 406 votes, David Edevbie, 299 votes; Victor Ochei, 185 votes; Charles Elumelu, 50 votes; Elder Godday Orubebe; 49 votes , and Dr Ngozi Olejeme, 2 votes.
Please where is Obuh, the man that has the backing of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan?
Ogun State: PDP ignores, NWC holds guber primary
…Obasanjo, Daniel absent
The PDP, through its national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, postponed the gubernatorial candidate in Ogun State, but the state chairman of the party, Engr Bayo Dayo, said he was unaware of any directive, and insisted that the exercise should go ahead.
However, only three aspirants were present at the exercise held at the PDP Oke Mosan secretariat, Kayode Amusan, Segun Adewale and Gboyega Isiaka. At the end of the exercise, Gboyega Nasir was declared the winner having polled 705 to beat, leaving Kayode Amusan, 150 votes, and one vote for Segun Adewale.
Pandemonium at Plateau PDP Guber Primary
There was pandemonium at Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos, venue of the PDP governorship primaries just before the commencement of voting by delegates.
The agents of some aspirants protested that labels bearing each LG names be removed from the ballot boxes. They explained that some local delegates are under threat from the state government that if they did not vote for the anointed aspirant alongside their LG chairmen. At the time of filing the report, voting was yet to commence as there was confusion everywhere.
Lagos State: Jimi Agbaje
A pharmacist, Mr Jimi Agbaje, has defeated former Minister of State for Defence, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro, to clinch the Lagos State PDP governorship ticket for 2015. Agbaje scored 432 votes while Obanikoro received 343 votes.
Hoodlums cause violence
…aspirant wears bullet proof vest to venue
The PDP governorship primaries in Lagos witnessed violence as hoodlums in their hundreds stormed the Oregun, Ikeja, venue of the exercise, with security personnel, including policemen having a hectic time warding them off.
The police had to fire several canisters of tear gas, resulting in a stampede.
An aspirant, Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, caused a stir when he appeared at the party’s governorship primary in a bulletproof vest, which according to him, was to protect him from stray bullets following the violence that erupted earlier in the day.
Nasarawa State: Yusuf Agabi
A retired federal civil servant, Dr. Yusuf Agabi, has 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, former governor Aliyu Akwe Doma had 129 votes while initial favourite Sen. Ewuga got 31.
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