Mixed feelings as parties pick governorship candidates

Political parties are picking their governorship candidates across the states for next year’s election. The Nation reports that leaders of the parties should brace to manage post-primary crisis going by the results from some of the states

The race to Government Houses in states began yesterday with political parties staging shadow polls to pick their standard bearers in the governorship election scheduled for early next year.

Some candidates of the two major parties – All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – emerged at the close of the primaries in some states yesterday. The exercise is rescheduled for today in some APC states.

The exercise, organised by both parties, was marred by complaints as aspirants alleged manipulations by some powerful elements. In some states, factions held parallel primaries, resulting to the emergence of multiple candidates under the same umbrella.

The results of the shadow are captured in this report.

El-Rufai emerges in Kaduna

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai yesterday returned unopposed after polling 2,427 votes out of 2,457 to emerge APC governorship candidate for the 2019 general elections.

The PDP primaries at the Kaduna International Trade Fair Complex was ongoing as at the time of filing this report, as only five out of the 23 local government areas in the state had voted as at 8:00pm.

Announcing the APC primaries result at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall of Murtala Mohammed Square in Kaduna, Chairman of the electoral committee the state, Mathew Idoriyekemwem, said 2,457 out of 3,200 delegates from the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State voted in the primaries.

He said: “We have a total of 30 invalid votes, and 2,427 votes for the only aspirant who remain the candidate of APC for the governorship election of Kaduna State. We hereby return as elected as gubernatorial candidate of APC, Malam Nasir el-Rufai.

El-Rufai, in his acceptance speech, said he accepted the nomination as a vote of confidence of the delegates in him. He promised to use the mandate of the delegates to work towards the greatness of the state.

The governor called on the delegates, party members and leaders of the party to support him in the race to win the 2019 gubernatorial election, saying that, “we have traveled far together since July 2013, we have worked together but the journey ahead is still long and rough.

“It’s with delight and humility that I accept your nomination as the party’s gubernatorial candidate. I accept this nomination as your vote of confidence to continue the work. I use my acceptance of your nomination as a mandate not to relent but to continue to work for the greatness of Kaduna state.”

At the PDP primary, nine aspirants were slugging it out for the PDP ticket.

One of the aspirants, Alhaji Ja’afaru Sa’ad had on the floor of the primaries after two local government areas had withdrawn from the contest.

Ribadu withdraws from race in Adamawa

A former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Mallam Nuhu Ribadu yesterday withdrew from the APC governorship primary in Adamawa State.

He said he had raised the alarm since May that the party congresses were hijacked and nothing was done to correct the anomalies.

Ribadu expressed regrets that while many APC members wanted direct primaries in the state, the party opted for indirect primaries.

He said he was under no illusion of a fair contest in the hands of those so-called party officials.

But Ribadu assured that he would remain in APC, and continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s good works and his candidature as product of direct primaries.

His withdrawal was contained in a statement by the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation’s Director-General Mallam Salihu Bawuro.

Makinde wins Oyo PDP ticket

Frontline aspirant Seyi Makinde yesterday clinched Oyo PDP ticket.

He defeated his only opponent Senator Ayoade Ademola Adeseun by winning 2772 votes to his rival’s 21 votes

Senator Adeseun before the commencement of the primary alleged foul play against Makinde and called for the cancelation of the process.

After announcing his partial withdrawal from the race, Senator Adeseun led his supporters out of the venue

The screening for the delegates was ongoing when Adeseun’s supporters suspected alleged irregularities in the delegates’ list and engaged the Makinde camp in a shouting match.

Adeseun called the attention of the PDP National officers to the development

He said: “It may interest you to know that even in my local government, 56 names were fraudulently inserted into the delegates’ list.

He left the mainbowl of the Obafami Awolowo Stadium around 1:38pm with his convoy.

Kwara PDP primary ends in fiasco

Governor whisked away as ex-minister pulls out

The PDP governorship primary in Kwara State ended in deadlock yesterday.

The shadow poll was peacefully going on when a lady from Asa local government area disrupted the process.

Before her action, delegates from two local areas had already cast their votes as at about 7.30pm.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed failed in his bid to calm frayed nerves. The governor was hurriedly whisked away from the venue.

It was gathered that Senate President Bukola Saraki, who did not attend the primary, met with the aspirants on Saturday and appealed to them to step down for Rasak Atunwa, a member of the House of Representatives, who is his favourite.

Before the commencement of voting, House of Assembly Speaker Ali Ahmad withdrew from the race.

Delegates hurriedly departed the venue of the event after the pandemonium.

Former National Planning Minister Dr. Suleiman Abubakar, one of the contestants said he might not participate in the reschedule primary because “it is not likely to be fair.”

Adelabu gets Oyo APC ticket

Akintola quits partisan politics

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor Adebayo Adelabu yesterday emerged the APC candidate for the 2019 election.

All the aspirants stepped down from the race leaving the ticket for him.

But voting took place because some of the aspirants like former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala were said not to have withdrawn officially.

The last aspirant to pull out, Mr Niyi Akintola (SAN) delayed his exit from the race until he was prevailed upon by APC national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Akintola subsequently withdrew from partisan politics.

Three out of the seven aspirants shortlisted for the governorship primary had earlier stepped down at the primary held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadanand attended by thousands of the party supporters from across the state. Security was tight.

Those who initially stepped down from the race before the contest include, Joseph Tegbe, Dr Owolabi Babalola and Dr Olusola Ayandele.

Ex-Governor Alao-Akala on Saturday said he would not attend the primary while former commissioner of health Dr Azeez Adeduntan earlier withdrew.

After about three local government had voted at the primary which started at about 5pm, Akintola later approached the chairman of the primary electioncommittee, Prince Demola Seriki, to announce his withdrawal from the contest.

Akintola, who spoke in an emotional tone, said the decision to withdraw from the contest was against his wish and that of his immediate family, but had to accede to the plea and request by Tinubu, the Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Iyalode of Ibadan Aminat Abiodun, who spoke with him to step down from the contest.

Ayade gets the nod in Cross River

It was a walk over for Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State. He emerged the governorship candidate of the PDP for next year’s governorship election.

Ayade, who was the sole aspirant, garnered 1927 votes in the primary election that involved delegates from the 18 local government areas at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, venue of the shadow poll.

2001 delegates where accredited for the exercise with 10 voided votes.

Speaking moments after the result was announced, Ayade attributed the outcome to the will of God.

He said: “This purely the will of God. You can see the overwhelming acceptance from the people through my party and I’m happy that my people can appreciate my little effort so far in transforming the socio-economic landscape of the state.

“I came with the mission to restructure the economy of the state. The outcome of the exercise is clearly an endorsement of what I had started. I want to assure Cross Riverians that I am poised to complete the economic restructu”ring of the state.

“Everyone is so enthusiastic to participate in the primary to reelect me and I can only say that, it’s God’s will. One thing you must know is that, the people have only come here to vote according their conscious in spite of the fact that I am the only aspirant for the election.”

Ugwuanyi emerges unopposed

Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had no challenger in the PDP governorship primary that held yesterday in Enugu, the state capital.

He got the nod to fly the party’s flag next year, not without the due process as delegates from the 17 local councils were cast their votes on the insistence of election committee chairman Senator Ambuno Zik.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu who introduced Ugwuanyi to the teeming delegates said: “This is the first time since 1999 we are having a single aspirant in our primary. The aspirant achieved this by weaving all camps together and ushering in peace.”

Emmanuel unopposed in Akwa Ibom

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel yesterday returned unopposed as the PDP candidate.

Chairman of the party Obong Paul Ekpo and other stakeholders said the governor was unanimously returned by the delegates.

Akwa Ibom State PDP congress committee chairman and Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose communicated the decision.

The governor promised to “continue to be your Servant-Leader, providing development that is both immediate and sustainable, ensuring that we continue to enjoy peace and security in this State and to use our commonwealth to advance the interest of our people.”

Ekere leads peaceful shadow poll

The APC governorship primary in Akwa Ibom was generally peaceful despite reports of late arrival of election materials.

Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang told reporters that election materials arrived the state party headquarters late on Saturday night.

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Managing Director Dr Nsima Ekere looked good to get the ticket.

At the end of the voting at about 5pm yesterday, Ekere had already won in most of the wards.

He defeated other aspirants, including, former Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, former NDDC Managing Director Dr Edet Efretuei and Sir Bassey Dan-Abia.

It‘s Dan Iya for PDP in Sokoto

The last minute’s withdraw of Prof Hamza Maishanu from the governorship race on PDP’s platform Prof Hamza Maishanu Yabo paved the way for the emergence of Muhammad Dan Iya as the party’s standard bearer at its primaries.

The professor had at the weekend announced his withdrawal from the race. Dan Iyaý who emerged unopposed was affirmed at the exercise which was conducted at Giginya Township Stadium, Sokoto. However, the delegates who participated in the process leading to affirmation of the candidature were drawn from 23 councils in the state.

Declaring the results, primaries election committee chairman Ambassador Bashir Yuguda described the exercise as smooth, successful and credible in accordance with the constitutional provisions of the party.

He said that 4,175 out of the 4,976 delegates who participated in the primaries voted for the aspirant who emerged as the standard flag bearer of the party.

Yuguda acknowledged the collective efforts of party members as well expressed appreciation to the LOC for the peaceful, transparent and purposeful success of the exercise and hoped that same will be reflected at the polls for the victory of the party come 2019.

Polls hold today in Lagos, Imo, Abia, Zamfara, Ogun, Bauchi, Cross River

The governorship primary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Lagos, Imo, Abia, Zamfara, Ogun and Bauchi and Cross River states will hold today. The party shifted the shadow polls in some of the states due to logistics, and due to non-arrival of the election committee from the National Headquarters in Abuja in other states.

Zamfara APC Publicity Secretary Malam Shehu Isa, announced the shift of the shadow poll in Gusau yesterday.

The State Police Command appealed to stakeholders to cooperate with security agencies and abide by security measures during the primaries.

Commissioner of Police Usman Belel made the call at a security stakeholders meeting in Gusau, Public Relations Officer of the Command, Muhammad Shehu, a Superintendent of Police, said in a statement yesterday.

Shehu said the meeting was attended by heads of security agencies in the state, officials from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC governorship aspirants.

He said: “The meeting was aimed at taking proactive security measures for effective security coverage before, during and after the APC governorship primaries in the state.’’

Rivers APC faction announces Abe winner in Rivers

Senator Magnus Abe has been declared winner of the direct primary for the 2019 Governorship election conducted by a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party in Rivers.

The result was announced by Dr Sam Eligwe, the Returning Officer for the faction at the secretariat controlled by the faction in Port Harcourt.

According to Eligwe, Abe won with 144,929 votes..

Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who polled 3,444 votes, came a distant second while Dr. Dawari George scored 1606 and Dr Tonye Cole got 882 votes in the results announced.

Ishaku is PDP standard bearer in Taraba

Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku yesterday emerged as the PDP candidate. Chairman of the governorship primary election committee and former Kogi State governor Idris Wada, declared Ishaku winner at the end of voting by delegates.

Wada explained that 1,928 of the 2,000 accredited delegates for the primaries voted for Ishaku, who was the party’s sole aspirant.

Commending the delegates for their peaceful conduct Wada said: “I want to commend you all the delegates to this election for your peaceful and orderly conduct.”

Reacting to the victory, Ishaku thanked the PDP family in the state for the confidence repose in him and pledged to redouble his efforts at developing the state if re-elected at the general elections.

“It is not easy to be a sole aspirant for governorship in a party like PDP, but because of the confidence you have in me, it has happened,” the governor said.

Taraba PDP Chairman Victor Bala noted that with the successful conduct of the primaries, the party was poised to continue to govern the state beyond 2019.

Ogun PDP get ‘two candidates’

Factions pick Adebutu, Shittu

Two factions of the Ogun chapter of the PDP held parallel primaries in Abeokuta yesterday to elect governorship party’s governorship candidate ahead of the 2019 polls.

The group recognised by the national body of the PDP held its primaries at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) where a House of Representatives member Ladi Adebutu, emerged the candidate.

Adebutu, representing the Remo/North Federal Constituency, was the sole aspirant of the group.

He emerged after all the 2,369 delegates from the three senatorial districts voted for him at the primary supervised by a five-man primary committee from the national headquarters, headed by Captain Mike Hart (rtd).

In his opening remarks, Hart described the PDP as “a rebranded party in Ogun’’ adding further the party had learnt from its past mistakes.

He encouraged party members to brace for the task ahead of ensuring the party won the governorship seat.

On his part, Adebutu expressed satisfaction on the transparent manner the exercise was conducted, adding that he was elated with his selection as the party flag bearer.

The parallel primary staged by the Sen. Buruji Kasamu faction picked Adeleke Shittu as its candidate.

Kasamu, representing Lagos East at the Senate, has been expelled by the national body of PDP following issues surrounding misconduct and anti-party activities.

The Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Kasamu-led faction, Bayo Dayo, said the exercise conducted by the group was the authentic.

He said: “The law is on our side until the judgment we had in 2016 is set aside. We have a judgment that compels the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept only candidates that emerge from primaries conducted by our group.

“The other faction had tried twice to set the judgment aside but the Court of Appeal had dismissed their appeal. We do know that the National body does not recongise our group but I am sure that eventually, the rule of law will prevail because Nigeria’s constitution supersedes the party’s constitution.”

APC primary fails to hold in Bauchi

APC card-carrying members in Bauchi, eager to elect their party’s flag bearer yesterday left their polling units disappointed as voting could not kick-off as at 6pm.

ýThe News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the members had been told that voting would commence 10am and they had been at the centre as early as 6am.

The party is using the direct primary method whereby all party members with the party membership card would vote in all the wards to elect candidates of the party in the state.

A member of the party who came to Baba Sidi polling unit to vote, Malam Sabitu Musa , told NAN that his time had been wasted, adding that he was smelling a ‘rat’ in the whole affair.

When contacted, APC the Organising Secretary in the state, Abdulkadir Gyang, assured that primaries will be conducted in Bauchi.

He said the committee members that would conduct the exercise had just arrived, adding that they were only waiting for their chairman.

Gyang, however, declined to state whether the exercise would still hold on Sunday or postponed to another day.

NAN reports that as at 6.25pm yesterday, voting had not commenced and party members had deserted the polling units, having spent the whole day waiting in vain.

It’s Bello vs Nyako again in Niger

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello yesterday emerged as the APC governorship candidate in Niger State after he was unianimously endorsed by the APC in the state as the party’s sole candidate.

He will face his old rival Umar Nasko, who emerged as the PDP governorship flagbearer. Nasko beat Ahmed Ibeto, who resigned his position as Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa Ambassador.

Members of the APC in the 274 wards in the state trooped out in their large numbers to affirm Bello as the APC standard bearer for next year’s governorship election.

The governor who was at Mustapha Comprehensive School, the center for Kontagora Central Ward, Kontagora Local Government Area, venue of the primary, expressed appreciation to party members for reposing confidence in him by returning him unopposed.

He said: “It is very comforting when your people have confidence in you, when they support you, when they overwhelming endorse you. In politics this is what you need and I really appreciate they gesture. Their action has further humbled me and to do more in the years to come. By 2019 our administration will continue the good works we started.”

In the PDP primary, Ambassador Ibeto got 516 votes, Mu’azu Hannafi Sudan got 157 votes, Aminu Mohammed Baka got 110 votes while Umar Ahmed got 24 votes.

The chief electoral officer of the PDP governorship primaries, Baraka Sani, declared Nasko as the PDP governorship flagbearer, having scored the highest number of votes.

The primaries was adjudged as being free, fair and transparent by the other contestants as they pledged their support towards ensuring the Party governorship flagbearer wins the 2019 election.

PDP holds parallel primaries in Borno

The PDP in Borno yesterday held parallel primaries to elect candidates to contest the 2019 governorship election.

The separate congresses were held by two factions of the party to elect the party’s flag-bearers in the forthcoming election.

The Usman Baderi’s faction held its exercise at the secretariat with two candidates – Muhammed Wakil and Bukar Kyari.

Wakil, a former Minister of State for Works, said they held seperate primaries because they were opposed to the conduct of the election by Zanna Gadama’s faction.

He alleged that Gadama’s faction abused an earlier court order, describing the exercise as “null and void”.

Wakil claimed that the Court of Appeal had ruled in favour of Baderi as the recognised chairman of the party.

“What the other faction is doing is illegality of the highest order because we are the ones legally recognised by the court of law. So we are conducting election and submitting result to the national body.

“If they see reasons to accept the result fine, and if they don’t, I am sure some of us remember the case of Rotimi Ameachi.

“You cannot just build something out of nothing and expect it to stay. The issue of impunity and illegality has to stop in the country, political parties have to behave.

“You cannot come out one day and start blaming the other party when you are also guiding impunity.”

On his part, Kyari lamented that the national working committee of the party chose to recognise an illegal faction despite existing court order.

Kyari said: “We as law abiding citizens will not indulge in illegalities, we shall seek redress in competent court of law for our rights.

“Therefore, we will conduct our elections here. We will invite the INEC to monitor it and then come up with the authentic delegates that have been elected this October.”

However, Gadama said his faction had secured a court injunction, which ordered that the status quo be maintained.

Gadama said that the state PDP remains the authentic party in the state that should hold primary elections.

“The national PDP secretariat recognises only one PDP in Borno, which is the one I am currently heading as a Chairman.

“This is why they sent the INEC officials and other observers to come and monitor the elections we are currently conducting.”

Muhammad Imam, emerged winner of the election.

Declaring the result, Gabriel Kataf, the chairman Electoral committee, said Imam scored 2, 685 votes and his closest opponent Kyari scored 52 while Wakil scored 22 votes.

Utomi, Ochei, Kachikwu fault APC primary

The APC governorship aspirant Prof Pat Utomi has called for a postponement of the APC primaries in Delta State, describing the process as illegitimate as the delegates’ list was unavailable to the aspirants.

He said at a meeting between critical stakeholders that three of the aspirants suggested a postponement due to the shortcomings that have plagued the shadow polls.

According to Utomi those present at the meeting included, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan,Victor Ochei and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Dr Ibe Kachikwu.

He said: “The delegates list is not available; aspirants have not seen the list; I believe only those who drew up the list have it. The list should have been made available to all at least three days to the primaries to enable aspirants make their pitch to them.

“There is no level playing field for all aspirants. This will create a crisis of legitimacy. We have suggested that the primaries be postponed, that way we will have a truly democratic process.”

Wike picked in Rivers State

The PDP nominated Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to fly its flag for the 2019 governorship election.

In a peaceful state congress at the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt, party delegates unanimously voted for Wike, who was the only candidate on the ballot.

The chief returning officer for the primary, Chuma Chinye, announced that the governor polled 3345 delegate votes from the 23 local government areas of the state.

The voting process was kick-started by the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who was a statutory delegate from Andoni Local Government Area.

After Wike voted, other statutory delegates took their turns to cast their ballot in alphabetical order.

Rivers State PDP Chairman Felix Obuah stated that Wike’s nomination followed due process and a reflection of the people’s support for him.

The primary began with a motion for the constitution of the 2018 special congress by former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Austin Opara and seconded by Rivers State Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs. Ukel Oyaghiri.

In his acceptance speech, Wike restated the party’s readiness to win the state’s governorship election next year.

He declared: “We are prepared for the election in 2019. Let nobody make a mistake that what happened in Osun and Ekiti States will happen in Rivers State. We are ready to follow them to any level that they want.”

The governor urged party faithful to canvass for votes across the state, warning the people of the consequences of voting APC, a party he said is steeped in darkness and doom.

He stated that following due consultation, he will run for the governorship election with his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo.

The governor stated that he has the experience, training and commitment to consolidate on the gains of his first term, since he will not be learning on the job.

He said: “In seeking to return as governor, I am not coming to learn on the job, I have the experience, intellect and commitment to drive the state forward.

“With my background, I will not be offering excuses. I will continue working from day one of my second term. Rivers State is working.”

He noted that in the last three and half years, his administration recorded inspiring projects that have improved the living condition of the people, while more projects are on-going.

“The progress of this state in the last three and half years is appreciated in the country and across the globe. That is why I feel confident to ask for a second term. There is more work to be done across the state.”