Ninth Assembly: APC Recommends Lawan For Senate Presidency

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday recommended the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) for the position of Senate President in the ninth Assembly, Daily Trust reliably gathered.

The recommendation was made during a meeting last night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In attendance were President Muhammadu Buhari, 11 governors, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and senators-elect, of the ruling party.

Multiple sources at the meeting that lasted for about two hours, said Oshiomhole announced the recommendation in the presence of the three other contenders for the Senate Presidency namely Senator Ali Ndume (Borno), Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe) and Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa).

Senator Bello Mandiya (APC Katsina) last night confirmed that the party had recommended Senator Lawan.

Sources said that ranking senators have started lobbying for important positions in the Senate.

Senator Goje is said to be working to retain his position as chairman appropriation committee while Sen. Abdullahi Adamu is being considered to succeed Lawan as the Senate leader.

One of the Senators-elect who did not want to be mentioned also confirmed the story.

He said: “We were all shocked when he (Oshiomhole) told us that Lawan is the next Senate President. He did not allow us to speak before they directed that the National Anthem be recited,” he said.

Another lawmaker-elect, said when Oshiomhole mentioned Lawan as the next Senate President, president Buhari said he was in support of the party’s position.

Lawan, a ranking lawmaker was the preferred candidate of the APC in 2015, but Senator Bukola Saraki, with the massive support of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers, dribbled the party, to clinch the position.

There has been intense politicking between Senators-elect from North East and North Central geo-political zones over the Senate presidency position. The ninth assembly is expected to be inaugurated in June, this year.

The governors in attendance were those of Kebbi, Zamfara, Plateau, Jigawa, Kaduna, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Borno, Yobe and Kogi states. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha was also in attendance.

Also in attendance, was the Anambra South Senator-elect, Ifeanyi Ubah, who is of the Young Peoples Party (YPP).

Around 9:pm, after Oshiomhole delivered his speech, journalists were excused from the venue of the meeting. The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, asked the journalists to leave, saying “It’s time for family talk”.

Oshiomhole said the meeting was convened to map out strategy on how to come up with the leadership of the ninth Assembly. He said the APC so far has 65 senators-elect and 223 Reps-elect.

With majority at the both chambers, he said APC will produce all the presiding officers, the Senate president, deputy Senate president, Speaker and the deputy speaker.

He said unlike in the present parliament, the APC will produce chairmen of strategic committees in the ninth Assembly.

Oshiomhole said the APC lawmakers-elect were voted to give President Buhari the needed support for him to take radical reform for the development of the country.

“Nigerians voted for us to take charge of the executive and the legislature. This meeting is to discuss the leadership question in a win, win way. We do not need to do business with the opposition when we have the numbers,” he said.

Oshiomhole said out of the 16 senators who dumped the APC, only one, Dino Melaye was reelected, because “the chamber will be boring without an entertainer”.

He described Uba, the YPP Senator-elect who attended the meeting, “as a smart guy who want to belong to the people’s party.”

The meeting, our correspondent reports ended around 9:30pm.

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Bauchi Governor Congratulates PDP’s Bala Mohammed

Governor Abubakar extended his goodwill message to Senator Mohammed in a statement on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr Ali Ali.

The statement was issued shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner of the election.

The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) defeated the incumbent governor after polling a total of 515,113 votes ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate who got 500,625 votes.

The governor said he was delighted to note that in spite of the intensity of the campaigns, the election took place without bloodshed.

He thanked the people of the state for their support and urged them to extend the same support to the incoming chief executive of the state.

Governor Abubakar also extended an invitation to the governor-elect to join him in working out the process of a smooth transition.

He, however, urged Senator Mohammed to caution his supporters to be law-abiding while celebrating his victory.

Congratulatory Message To Bauchi Governor-Elect Sen Bala Mohammed

Gov Abubakar wishes to congratulate Governor-elect of Bauchi state Senator  Bala Mohammed.

“I congratulate my brother, Sen Bala on this victory at the polls.

“I am delighted to note that in spite of the intensity of the campaigns in our dear state, a peaceful election took place without bloodshed.

“Let me, therefore, invite the Governor-elect to join me in working out the process of a smooth transition.

“I sincerely thank the entire people of Bauchi state for their support to my administration and urge them to extend the same to the incoming administration.

“I also urge governor-elect to caution his supporters to be law abiding while celebrating since the period of campaigns is now over.

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Plateau Governor Simon Lalong Re-Elected For A Second Term

The Returning Officer for the election, Professor Richard Kimbir, announced this on Sunday at the collation centre for the governorship election in Jos, the state capital.

According to him, the governor who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was returned elected after polling the highest number of votes in the keenly contested poll.

Governor Lalong got a total of 595,582 votes ahead of his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Jerry Useni, who polled 546,813 votes.

He was declared the winner two weeks after the governorship election held on March 9 in Plateau and 28 other states in the country.

The states where election did not hold are Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Bayelsa, Kogi, and Anambra.

While winners emerged in some states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the governorship election in Plateau and five other states as inconclusive.

Professor Kimbir had explained that the declaration, was as a result of the margin of a lead of 44,929 between the APC and the PDP candidates, which was less than the 49,377 cancelled votes.

He added that this constrained him to return a winner but rather declare the poll inconclusive.

This led to the supplementary election which held in nine local government areas of the state on Saturday, March 23.

Governor Lalong defeated Mr Useni with a difference of 48,769 votes in the rerun poll.

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PDP's Aminu Tambuwal Re-elected as the governor of Sokoto State

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has won his second term bid to govern the state for another four years.

The Resident Electoral Officer, Prof. Sadiq Musa, declared Tambuwal, the People’s Democratic Party candidate,

winner after he polled a total score of 512,002 votes.

His closest rival Ahmad Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress garnered 511,661 votes.

Although Tambuwal lost in the collated result for 35 polling units in Kebbe LGA, he was able to edge his opponent, his former deputy, by retaining the lead, winning by just 341 votes.

Aliyu was Tambuwal’s deputy governor during his first term until late 2018.

The duo were in the APC until Tambuwal defected to the PDP.

In the substantial governorship election held March 9, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the state poll inconclusive.

The election authorities said Tambuwal polled 489,558 votes, while Aliyu of the APC had 486,145 votes.

The margin of win was a small, 3,413 votes, compared to the votes expected from the cancellation in 136 polling units with 75,403 registered voters.

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INEC Declares Yahaya Abdullahi Winner In Niger State, Cancels Rerun Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced decision to halt the rerun for the Niger state House Assembly elections in Agaie constituency.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Sam Egwu, yesterday, issued a press statement declaring the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Yahaya Abdullahi, as winner of the election.

INEC said its decision was sequel to the earlier declaration of the PDP candidate winner of the election by the returning officer, Prof. Musa Kolo.

The REC, in a statement he personally signed, said, “the rerun in two units has been dropped after due consultations with stakeholders.”

However, in a swift reaction, APC chairman, Eng. Mohammed Jibril Imam said the commission’s decision declaring the PDP candidate winner was unacceptable.

He said INEC erred in declaring the PDP candidate winner of the election it earlier said was inconclusive.

“Why should the commission take such critical decision when the votes difference in the results under contention were just 106, while the two units the rerun was billed to take place boast of 1,437 votes.” Imam queried in a chat with reporters.

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Ogun election: APM candidate, Akinlade challenges governorship result in court, writes US, EU

The governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, APM, Adekunle Akinlade, has announced his decision to challenge the victory of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Dapo Abiodun, in the election petitions tribunal.

Akinlade stated this in a statement issued by his media aide, Azeez Adelani, on Sunday in Abeokuta, adding that he has directed his legal team to write the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and other international organisations over electoral issues in the state during the just-concluded governorship election.

The statement read, “At a strategic meeting held in Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta on the 16th of March, 2019, the governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade affirmed his resolve to challenge the March 9th election results at the tribunal.

“He claimed that compelling evidence available to him and his team clearly shows that the APM won the election but was rigged out.

“He said that his team had spent the last week gathering evidence to prove this claim.

“When reminded that he once said that he would accept the election result if he lost, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade said that in this instance, he did not lose but was rigged out.

“Akinlade also claimed that Prince Dapo Abiodun was quoted as boasting that ‘Federal Might’ will be deployed to undermine the tribunal judgment regardless of how credible the APM evidence are.

“They stole our APC mandate at the guber primaries on October 2, 2018. They brought in armed uniformed men on the night of March 9th 2019, to manipulate and substitute election results, arrest and send the APM agents away from collation centres to achieve their plans to rig the election.

“Akinlade, therefore, called on the good people of Ogun State to remain calm and resolute while promising to restore their mandate and put smiles on their faces, no matter the cost.

“My legal team has been directed to write the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and other international organisations over the electoral issues in the state during just concluded governorship election.

“The invitation of the international organisations is to request them to send independent observers to monitor the state governorship tribunal case.

“I would formally write President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on the need to protect my constitutional rights.

“I would request it from them as a supportive citizen who openly endorsed their candidatures and mobilised votes for them during the last Presidential election.”

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APC wins majority seats in Senate

The ruling All Progressives Congress has won 62 out of 109 seats in the Senate. The People’s Democratic Party has 37 seats and the Young Progressives Party secured one.

Although the Senate is made up of 109 seats, the Independent National Electoral Commission has only announced 100 winners as the commission had ordered a rerun in some states

Reruns were held on March 9 in Abia South, Imo West and North, Kogi East, Ondo South, Plateau South, Rivers East, Rivers West, while Bauchi South Senator will be determined by a court.

Winners of those reruns are yet to be included in the list.

Of the 100 senatorial seats declared so far, six are to be occupied by women.

President Muhammadu Buhari said he was happy over the majority of the APC in the Senate.

Buhari said he was looking forward to a mutual and effective working relationship with the ninth National Assembly toward improving the budgetary process and restoring the country to the January-December fiscal cycle.

He recounted how the delay in the passage of budgets hindered timely execution of projects across the country. The general election budget approval was also delayed.

The presidency alleged that the National Assembly planned to sabotage the 2019 poll by deliberately withholding approval for funding as required by the electoral commission for the elections.

Senate chief Bukola Saraki dismissed the allegations and accused the presidency of not properly explaining issues regarding the budget before sending it for approval.

He said the legislature would not accept being treated as the “appendage of the executive.”

“No genuine leader of the legislature will be comfortable that the presidency will simply write a terse letter to the national assembly on key issues which the federal legislature is expected to later deliberate upon and give its approval,” he said.

“The Buhari administration consistently treats the legislature with contempt and acts as if the lawmaking body should be an appendage of the executive. To me, this is unacceptable.”

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PDP’s Emeka Ihedioha Wins Imo Governorship Election

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Imo State governorship election, Mr Emeka Ihedioha, has emerged governor-elect of the state.

Ihedioha, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, secured 273,404 votes to defeat Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance (AA) and Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Nwosu, who was backed by Governor Rochas Okorocha, finished second with 190,364 votes; followed by Senator Uzodinma who got 96,458 votes.

Ihedioha was declared the winner by the Returning Officer for the election, Professor Francis Ogbonnaya Otunta, at 11:57 pm on Monday night, bringing to a conclusion a dramatic collation process which also witnessed the arrest of two electoral officers for allegedly tampering with results.

The final collation for the state was one of the last to begin on Sunday with the process commencing late in the evening.

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How APC Dapo Abiodun emerged winner in Ogun governorship Election

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Prince Dapo Abiodun, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), winner of the Saturday’s governorship polls in the state.

The state Returning Officer for the governorship polls, prof. Idowu Olayinka , announced at the INEC headquarters in Abeokuta at about 12. 45 a.m on Monday that Abiodun scored a total of 241, 670 votes to clinch the victory.

Olayinka who is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan explained that Abiodun beat his closest rival, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) who came second with 222, 153 votes.

He said that the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 110, 422 votes while the Peoples Democratic Party Candidate, Sen. Buruji Kashamu who scored 70,290 votes was fourth.

A breakdown of the results on local government basis as announced by local government collation officers shows that Abiodun won in 11 council areas.

They are Ijebu-Ode , Odogbolu, Odeda, Ijebu North-East, Sagamu, Abeokuta – South, Ijebu-East.

Others are Remo- North, Ogun Waterside.
Obafemi-Owode and Ikenne,

Akinlade of the APM won in six council areas which are Abeokuta – North, Egbado- South, Ewekoro, Ipokia, Ifo and Ado Odo- Ota.

Isiaka of the ADC won in Imeko- Afon and Egbado-North local governments while Kasamu of the PDP won in the Ijebu-North local government area.

According to Olayinka, the total number of registered voters was 2, 375, 003 while the total number of accredited voters was 708, 807.

He said that the number of valid votes was 680,947 while 20,969 votes were rejected.

Olayinka added that the total number of votes cast was 701,916.

The Returning Officer who noted that the margin of lead between Abiodun and Akinlade was 19,517 votes noted that the figure is more than the total cancelled votes which he puts at 7,100 .

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