Nine Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are expected to slug it out with other contenders for Senate tickets at the party’s National Assembly primaries holding across the nation today. The governors are: Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Jonah Jang (Plateau); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Theodore Orji (Abia); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi) and Gabriel Suswam (Benue). The governors of Delta and Enugu, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and Sullivan Chime respectively, had on Friday dropped their ambitions, after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.
They had dropped out of the race due to concerns about security and party cohesion, especially as they were scheming to replace two key senators. While Chime was scheming to oust Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, the Delta governor was eyeing the seat of Senator James Manager. Continue after the cut...
The seven remaining PDP governors are expected to sail through smoothly, barring any last-minute hitches. Governor Akpabio will have an easy ride for the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District ticket as virtually all stakeholders in the senatorial district had endorsed him. Akpabio is challenging Senator Aloysius Etok. In Benue, Suswam is sure of picking the Benue North-East Senatorial District. His major challenger and former National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Barnabas Gemade, on Thursday pulled out of the race. Governor Aliyu is also primed to unseat Senator Shem Zagbayi for the Niger East Senatorial District. Zagbayi was elected in September 2014. In Abia Central, Governor Orji will have an easy ride for Senator Nkechi Nwaogu’s seat. Nwaogu has opted out of the race for the governorship contest.
The aspiration of Elechi to replace Senator Paulinus Nwagu as representative of Ebonyi Central District in the Senate may hit the rocks except his deputy, Engr. Dave Umahi, whose faction of the party conceded the slot to him, opts out. Governors Shema and Yuguda are primed for the Katsina and Bauchi tickets as there are no serious challengers. In Bauchi, all the three senators have opted out of the race for the governorship seat. In Kebbi, Governor Dangikari will pick the Kebbi North senatorial ticket as the incumbent, Senator Isa Galaudi, has opted out for the governorship ticket. Sunday New Telegraph learnt that out of 75 PDP senators 18 of them have opted out of today’s primaries. The 18 senators are contesting the governorship primaries tomorrow.
The senators who are not participating in the primaries are: Gyang Pwajok (Plateau), Helen Esuene (Akwa Ibom), Nkechi Nwaogu (Abia), Ayoade Adeseun (Oyo), Ayogu Eze (Enugu), Chris Anyanwu (Imo), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Simon Ajibola (Kwara), Paulinus Nwagwu and Victor Lar (Plateau). Others are Solomon Ewuga (Nasarawa), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Isa Galaudi (Kebbi), Muhammad Magoro (Kebbi), Bashir Lado (Kano), Adamu Gumba (Bauchi), Abdul Ningi (Bauchi) and Babayo Garba (Bauchi). Among sitting senators running today are Senate President David Mark, and his deputy, Ekweremadu. They are expected to sail through easily. But Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, will need a miracle to emerge as the candidate.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) will today hold its primaries for the House of Representatives nationwide. A number of APC House members are seeking return tickets. They are also facing some tough challengers, one of whom is the son of Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu. Meanwhile, some sitting members of the House of Representatives were defeated in yesterday’s primaries.
Defeat in Abia
They include Eziuche Ubani, representing Ugunagbo/ Osisioma and Obingwa; Oluchi Ibeji (Ikwuano/ Umuahia); and Arua Arunsi (Arochukwu/Ohafia). The ticket for Ubani’s constituency was picked by Solomon Adaelu, a former commissioner for Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, while the ex-Commissioner for Finance, Sam Onuigbo, won the ticket for Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency. Arunsi, who reportedly announced his withdrawal from the race on the state radio early Saturday morning, lost his constituency to Uko Nkole.
However, two female representatives, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (Isuikwuato/Umunneochi) and Nnenna Ukeje (Bende), retained their tickets. Also, the member representing Ukwa East and Ukwa West, Nkem Abonta, got a return ticket. Ukeje beat her closest rival, Nnamdi Njoku, by 43 votes to five, while Onyejeocha polled 63 votes to beat Ngozi Emeruwa with five. Sam Onuigbo picked the ticket with 66 votes against Oluchi Ibeji’s 35. At the time of filing the report, the results of Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South and Aba North and South were still being awaited.
Abuja, Jigawa
Danladi Zhin won the Abuja South ticket, securing 68 votes against 51 by Isa Dobi and 53 by Musa Arada. Most members of the House of Representatives from Jigawa State won return tickets in yesterday’s primaries. The election, which was supervised by state PDP and government officials, was hitch-free in almost all the local government areas. In Kiri-Kasamma, Adamu Hassan Abonabo (Guri, Birniwa, Kiri-kasamma), who stand for re-election, got 120 votes and was returned unopposed. In Jahun Miga, Mustapha Habib won while other victorious PDP federal lawmakers are Shitu Galambi of Gwaram; Bashir Adamu (Kazaure); and Yusuf Sale Dunari (Malam- Madori Kaugama).
Delta The House of Representatives primary election in Delta State was characterised by the late arrival of materials, prompting anxiety and crisis. Accreditation started in most of the centres at 4:35p.m. The situation was not different in Kwale, Oleh, Ughelli, Sapele except Agbor where voting commenced at 4:45p.m. with armed policemen and other security operatives on ground to maintain peace and order. At the Cenotaph, Asaba where the primaries for Aniocha/ Oshimili Federal constituency was held, a female aspirant pulled her wristwatch, dropped her bag with her aides and was ready to engage the local government chairman in a fight until the security agencies stopped her.
The situation was tense in Bomadi following the arrival of voting materials for Bomadi Federal Constituency, delegates and aspirants for the election were said to have fled for safety when thugs loyal to some of the aspirants engaged each other in a shootout.
Ekiti
The primaries in Ekiti State were marred by late distribution of electoral materials. In most places, materials were still being expected as at 5.30p.m., just as the police beefed up security in the designated voting centres and across the state generally. The Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, also deployed a large number of anti-riot policemen in the party’s state secretariat located in Ado-Ekiti.
A visit to the headquarters of the six federal constituencies in Ido, Ikole, Aramoko, Ado, Omuo and Ikere revealed a heavy security presence. The head of Committee for the House of Representatives primary election, Alhaji Bala Suleiman, blamed the late distribution of materials on the long distance.
Kaduna
Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Godfrey Gaiya, lost to Marshal Katung in Jaba/Zangon Kataf in Kaduna State.
Benue
In spite of the challenges ahead of the 2015 elections, Senate President Mark, yesterday said free, fair and credible elections were needed to safeguard and sustain democracy in Nigeria. Mark, who spoke while addressing delegates to the primary election in Otukpo, Benue State, said Nigerians had come to the inescapable conclusion that democracy is the way to go. The incumbent Otukpo /Ohimini representative, Eziekiel Adaji, won the primary election, as announced by the chairman of the electoral panel, Sam Tyoure.
Ebonyi
The primaries in Ebonyi State for six federal constituencies were peaceful and hitch-free. Embattled Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku, and five other aspirants emerged winners of the primaries.
Nwazunku, at the end of the primary election which took place at the headquarters of Ohaukwu Local Government Area, emerged as the candidate for Ebonyi/Ohaukwu. Other winners include Linus Okorie, who is the current House of Representatives member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo; Sylvester Ogbaga Abakaliki/ Izzi; Lazarus Ogbee for Ikwo/ Ezza South; Idu Igariwey for Afikpo South/Afikpo North; and Anayo Nwonu for Ishielu/ Ezza North.
Enugu
The primaries in Enugu State presented a major upset for the immediate past chairman of the party in the state, Chief Vita Abba, as he lost the battle for the Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South federal constituency ticket to the former commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory, Mr. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede. Again, whereas in Enugu North senatorial zone with three federal constituencies, the primaries went on well and delegates were accredited at the three different centres for the election without dissenting voices.
Reports from Enugu East and West senatorial zones had it that there appeared to be parallel primaries in two federal constituencies. In the case of the upset at Nsukka/Igbo Eze South federal constituency, Abba who had emerged as the favoured candidate during the consultation by stakeholders lost to Ugwuegede. In the East senatorial zone, the incumbents, Hon. Peace Nnaji of Nkanu East/Nkanu West federal constituency and Kingsley Ebenyi of IsiUzo/ Enugu East federal constituency were returned. In Udi/Ezeagu federal constituency, Denis Amadi emerged the winner though sources said the incumbent, Hon. Ogbuefi Ozzomgbachi, held a parallel congress. Ofor Chukwuegbo of Enugu South/Enugu North, who was not present at the venue of the primary election won by Chime Orji, a member of the state House of Assembly, may have had a parallel congress elsewhere.
In Igbo-Eze North/Udenu federal constituency, Mr. Denis Agbo was elected to fly the party’s flag.
Bayelsa
In Bayelsa, Sodaguwo Adega Festus-Omoni representing Ogbia Federal Constituency was the only Reps out of five that was returned. Others that emerged are Douye Diri, (Yenagoa/Kolokuma Federal Constituency), Nimbofa Ayawei, (Southern Ijaw), Sodaguwo Adega Festus- Omoni, (Ogbia) and Fred Agbedi (Sagbama/Ekeremor). This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the electoral panel, Gen. Idi Adamu, (retd) and made available to newsmen.
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