2023 Primary Elections Winners And Losers: Oshiomhole, Bagudu, Adeola, Lalong, Umahi, Kalu, Others Win APC Senatorial Tickets

– As Former minister Alasoadura, Umeh, Obanikoro Lose Bids, Akeredolu’s wife withdraws, Disagrees With Uzodimma’s Style

By ‘Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, Okungbowa Aiwerie, Nsa Gill, Chris Njoku, AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Tajudeen Adebanjo, Khadijat Saidu, Ogochukwu Anioke and Osagie Otabor – The Nation

Winners continued to emerge from the senatorial primary elections of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) held yesterday for the 2023 National Assembly elections. In Kebbi state, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu defeated incumbent senator and former governor, Adamu Aleiro, to pick the APC ticket for Kebbi Central Senatorial District. The governor scored 445 votes according to the chairman of the electoral committee, Hon. Kelechi Njoku. Aleiro got no vote.

Similarly, Hon. Husaini Sulaiman Kangiwa emerged as Kebbi North senatorial candidate as his lone challenger, former Govenor Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, withdrew from the contest hours before the commencement of the exercise. This was just former Nasarawa state governor, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, got a return ticket to the senate unopposed.

In Edo state, a former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomole, clinched the Edo North senatorial ticket of the party. He scored 309 votes to pick the ticket while his opponent, Senator Francis Alimikhena, polled five votes even though he had withdrawn from the contest. The party’s returning officer of the primary, Festus Ebia, said 317 delegates were accredited for the election.

Oshiomole urged Alimikhena to find the courage to accept the outcome of the election in good fate the same way his opponent accepted him in 2015 and 2019 when he emerged. In Edo South, Valentine Asuen, former Edo State youth leader, emerged as the party’s candidate. He defeated Lucky Imasuen, his rival and former Edo State deputy governor, after polling 215 votes.

Obanikoro floored in Lagos

It was an upset in Lagos as former deputy governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, was declared winner of the APC Lagos West Senatorial District primary election held at Agege Stadium, Agege. She defeated former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and one-time Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa. Adebule polled 424 votes, Obanikoro had 119 votes while Opeifa got four votes. Ten votes were voided.

Chairman, APC Lagos State Senatorial Primary Election Committee Chief Emeka Okafor declared Adebule winner of the election. But Obanikoro’s campaign organisation expressed displeasure in the process and eventual outcome of the Lagos West Senatorial primary election held on Saturday. In a statement released shortly after the exercise, it stated that the exercise was fraught with intimidations and other malpractices which it will address with the party in due course.

Umahi’s brother emerges in Ebonyi
A younger brother of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, Austin Umahi, has been elected the APC candidate for Ebonyi South senatorial zone. Umahi defeated his challenger, Ann Agom-Eze at the party’s primary, which held at Afikpo North local government area. He polled 279 votes to defeat Agom-Eze, who came a distant second with just five votes. Umahi was a former National Vice Chairman Southeast of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In Ebonyi North Senatorial zone, the former Commissioner of the Ministry of Abakaliki Capital City Development (MCCD), Onyekachi Nwaebonyi was declared winner. He defeated his rival, Mrs. Elizabeth Ogbaga, a former House of Representatives member. Nwaebonyi scored a total of 272 votes to defeat Ogbaga who scored 6 votes. In Ebonyi Central, the chairman of Ezza South Local Government Area of the state, Kenneth Eze, won the ticket unopposed.

El-Rufai’s aides clinch Kaduna tickets
Former Kaduna State Commissioner for Planning and Budget and one time Chief of Staff to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Hon, Muhammad Sani Abdulllahi, has emerged the Senatorial Candidate of the APC for Kaduna Central senatorial zone. Abdulllahi popularly known as Dattijo was returned unopposed in the primary election held at Umaru Musa Yar’adua Hall, Kaduna after his two opponents, Usman Sani and Hajia Rabi Salisu withdrew from the contest shortly before the internal poll.

Announcing the result, Returning Officer of the election, Mohammed Afeez Bayero said there were 405 delegates from the seven local government areas that make up Kaduna Central.

Bayero said, 396 delegates showed up for the election and all were accredited, but at the end of the poll, Muhammad Sani Abdulllahi scored a total of 388 votes, while eight votes were invalid. He said, Abdullahi having polled the highest number of votes cast, is declared winner of the primary election.

Ayade’s aides too
Governor Ben Ayade’s former Chief of Staff and also his former Commissioner for Finance, Chief Martins Orim and Mr. Asuquo Ekpeyong Jr. respectively, have both emerged winners in the senatorial primaries of the APC in Cross River State conducted on Saturday.

Orim, former Chief of Staff emerged winner in the party primaries conducted in Ogoja for the Northern senatorial district, while Ekpeyong, former Finance Commissioner emerged winner for Cross River Cross River APC South Senatorial district held in Calabar.

Ekpeyong emerged winner with 347 votes from the total number of 351 accredited voters. Four votes were voided and the only opponent in the race may have declined from the race without a word and he, Mr. Victor Effiom Ekpo was recorded with zero votes.

A chartered accountant, Ede Dafinone, has been declared winner of the APC primaries for Delta Central Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections. Dafinone was unopposed in the election and polled 383 votes to emerge candidate of the party. A total of 387 ad-hoc delegates were accredited for the primary election held at the Ughelli Kingdom Hall in Ughelli, Delta State.

Uzodimma, Akeredolu disagree in Imo
Imo State Government has accused First Lady of Ondo State and APC senatorial aspirant for Imo East, Betty Akeredolu of importing thugs to rig the process of election. But Akeredolu said the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, hijacked the primaries. Speaking through the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, the governor said he has no hand in the party primaries.

Emelumba said that Mrs. Akeredolu was protesting because the “thugs she imported” from Ondo State to rig the process were intercepted and arrested by the police. The commissioner said “the governor does not conduct primaries. Primary elections are conducted by the national leadership of the party. Secondly, the governor is in Abuja as we speak. How can he be in Abuja and at the same time be accused of medling in an exercise taking place in Owerri?

Earlier, the Ondo first lady had stormed the secretariat with her security aides and supporters. She told journalists that she will resist all attempt by the state governor to announce one of the aspirants winner without any election taking place anywhere. She said that the governor was the imposing somebody on the party as the delegates lists which were supposed to be used for the election were hidden from her and the other aspirants.

“They called us and asked us to step down for one unpopular aspirant and I said no that the processes must go on. There must be an election. You can’t do that to people like us in the 21st century. I have gone round the nine Local Government Areas in the district. The people are ready to vote for me. You can’t write figures, declare somebody winner when there was no election. I therefore call on the national chairman of APC not to accept any name from Imo East,” she said.

She insisted that those wrongly branded as thugs were plain clothed men of the DSS who accompanied her to the venue. “These are the people they are calling thugs. As a first lady, I am entitled to security aides and as an aspirant, I am equally entitled to know what is happening concerning the election, she said.”

Obiano’s men lose in Anambra
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Victor Umeh has lost his party’s senatorial ticket in the Central senatorial zone. Also, former Governor Willie Obiano’s political son and former Commissioner for Housing in the State, Michael Okonkwo, lost his House of Representatives ticket.

In the National Assembly Congresses of APGA in Anambra State in the Central and South senatorial zones respectively, Umeh lost to Hon. Dozie Nwankwo, who currently, represents Njikoka, Anaocha, Dunukofia federal Constituency. Nwankwo polled 162 votes to beat Umeh who scored 151 votes, while Obiano’s former Chief of protocol, Uzuegbunam Okagbue scored only 10 votes

Meanwhile, the APC in Anambra State has elected former governorship aspirant, Chief Kodilichukwu Okelekwe, as its Anambra South senatorial candidate. Also elected in the South senatorial zone is Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji, who vied for the governorship ticket of APGA against Prof Chukwuma Soludo. As at the time of filing this report, it was not clear who emerged as the party’s senatorial candidate in the northern senatorial district.

Alasoadura loses senatorial bid

Immediate past Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, has his bid to clinch the ticket of the All Progressives Congress to represent Ondo Central senatorial district. He polled 88 votes at the APC primary held in Akure at the International Event and Cultural Centre. Alasoadura who recently resigned his ministerial position to contest the party primary was first elected to the National between 2015 and 2019.

Alasoadura lost to a lawyer, Adegbonmire Adeniyi, who polled 144 votes. He walked out of the primary venue immediately sorting of votes began. Other aspirants such as Tola Awosika got 44 votes, Akinpelumi Ilesola got 45 votes, Princess Olatunji Omowunmi had two votes while Oyebade Nirab scored zero. In Ondo North senatorial district, a businessman, Jide Ipinsagba polled 268 votes to defeat his closest rival Alex Ajipe who had 57 votes. Results from Ondo South senatoria district was being expected as at press time.

Adeola wins Ogun West ticket
Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola has defeated incumbent Senator Tolu Odebiyi to pick the APC senatorial ticket of the party for Ogun West district ahead of 2023. Adeola, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, scored 294 votes to defeat Tolu Odebiyi who polled zero. A total of 294 delegates cutting across the district’s five local governments, were accredited for voting in the primary and all of them voted for Adeola popularly called Yayi.

Earlier before the process commenced, anxiety had suffused the Orona Hall, Ilaro, venue of Senatorial district primary election for Ogun West as incumbent Senator Tolu Odebiyi battled to secure a second term ticket. Odebiyi hails from Iboro town in Ogun West. He is sweating it out for the party’s ticket with his main challenger, Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola.

Goje returns in Gombe
Former Governor of Gombe State and Senator representing Gombe Central in the National Assembly, Senator Danjuma Goje was yesterday returned as candidate to run for Gombe Central Senatorial District for the fourth term by the All Progressive Congress, APC putting an end to seven months of hostility between him and the state Governor, Inuwa Yahaya.

Goje emerged winner with 100 votes from the 105 delegates beating his two rivals, Abubakar Muazu Hassan who scored 3 votes, and Barrister Abdullahi Idris Umar, a former minister of transportation, who scored two votes. Announcing the results after the election, the chairman of APC primary election committee for the state, Dr. Danjuma Dabo, said all the processes for the conduct of the election were followed.

Lalong picks APC ticket
Plateau State governor, Simon Bako Lalong, has clinched the APC ticket in Plateau South Senatorial District unopposed. He was elected through affirmation. Zonal Chairman of the APC in Plateau Southern Senatorial Zone, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi Nyalum said members of the party in the zone resolved to give Lalong their mandate to represent them in the red chambers because of his experience and performance as governor of the State.

Chairman of the election panel from the APC National Headquarters, Rt. Hon. Titi Oseni, said although the governor was the sole candidate for the elections, the process of voting would still be done in line with the guidelines of the party.

At the end of the voting, Rt. Hon. Oseni announced that Governor Lalong polled 335 out of the 340 votes (with 5 invalid) affirming him as the APC standard bearer for the Plateau South Senatorial District in the forthcoming general elections.

Enugu gets female candidate
Enugu State chapter of the APC on Saturday elected Princess Ada Ogbu as the first female senatorial candidate of the party in the state. Ogbu emerged senatorial candidate of the party for Enugu East senatorial district after Saturday’s primary election at the APC Southeast zonal office, Enugu. Ogbu, who hails from Nara Unataeze in Nkanu East local government area of the state, was elected unopposed with 270 votes.

The APC candidate will be challenging former governor of the state, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, who currently represents the zone and will be hoping to return after clinching the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket. Announcing the result at the APC South East Zonal office yesterday, chairman of the Enugu APC senatorial election panel, Abigail Igwe, said that Ogbu scored 270 votes out of a total of 289 votes cast, adding that 14 votes were invalid.

Igwe explained that although the party only had one candidate for Enugu East, it was necessary to do the needful,

adding that the exercise was peaceful. Ogbu, in her acceptance speech, said that her victory as the candidate of the party was just a starting point to end the era of sleeping senators in Enugu East. “We have always had sleeping senators representing us. My victory is about to end that era of sleeping senators,” she said.

Kalu wins in Abia North

The Chief Whip of the Senate and former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor-Kalu was on Saturday declared the winner of Abia North Senatorial ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Kalu who emerged the winner of the poll through direct primary, would be returning to the senate for the second term in 2023 to serve for another four years if he defeated other party candidates.

Kalu on Saturday, polled 777 votes to emerge the Abia North Senatorial District flagbearer, this is even as he emerged unopposed following the stepping down of his opponent on Saturday morning, Barr. Fabian Okoronkwo. The Abia North Senatorial primary election committee chairman, Chief Paul Onwuka, declared Sen. Kalu winner in Ebem, Ohafia LGA where the election held.

In his acceptance speech Kalu, dedicated his victory to the people of the district and promised to attract more projects to the district. Kalu commended Barr. Nwankwo, for his decision to drop his ambition, saying it is in the interest of the constituency. Senator Kalu who said his target was to attract over 100 roads by 2023 in addition to lifting the people through small and medium scale farming and industrialization, expressed gratitude to the members of APC in Abia North for unanimously returning him unopposed.

Smart Adeyemi out

The representative of Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Smart Adeyemi, has lost the APC senatorial primary election to Hon. Sunday Karimi. Karimi floored the three-time senator and three other aspirants at the party‘s primary held in Kabba on Saturday, to emerge the APC flagbearer for the Kogi West Senatorial District General Election. Karimi represented the Yagba Federal Constituency between 2011 and 2015.

He scored 288 votes, while Muyiwa Aina came second with 73 votes. Adeyemi garnered 43 votes, while the only woman in the race, Doyin Eshanumi scored 1 vote. Isah Abdulkareem scored 9 votes while six invalid votes were recorded. Elsewhere, Engr. Abubakar Ohere picked the APC ticket for the Kogi Central Senatorial District. He scored 260 votes to defeat Hajia Ramatu Attah who had 13 votes , and Sheriff Dalhatu with 11 votes.

Daniel wins senate ticket
Former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of Ogun state, has won the Ogun East senatorial ticket. According to reports, Daniel scored 450 votes to defeat the incumbent, Senator Lekan Mustapha, who polled 29 votes, though he was announced to have stepped out at the commencement of voting. Also in the race was a former deputy governor in the state, Segun Adesegun, who garnered six votes and Seyi Oduntan, who had 12 votes.

Also, Chief of Staff to governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state governor, Shuaib Salisu, has emerged Senatorial candidates of the APC for Ogun Central. Salisu won the Ogun Central Senatorial ticket of the APC after scoring 301 out 370 votes cast at the primary conducted inside Centenary hall, Ake, Abeokuta. He defeated Ganiyu Hamzat who scored 62, Senator Gbenga Obadara who polled 2, Olatorera Majekodunmi – Oniru who garnered 2 votes while Biodun Sanyaolu scored zero. One Sofela stepped down.

Bamidele gets return ticket
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Saturday secured got return ticket of the APC for Ekiti Central Senatorial District. Bamidele who polled 275 delegate votes to emerge victorious through affirmation arrangements held at Aramoko-Ekiti, the headquarters of Ekiti Central Senatorial District. The election was conducted by the APC electoral officers was held under close supervision of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies as observers.

In Ekiti South Senatorial zone,the serving House of Representatives member, Yemi Adaramodu emerged the APC candidate unopposed. Adaramodu emerged through consensus arrangement and affirmation by the party delegates at Ikere-Ekiti, the headquarters of the senatorial district.

But, in Ekiti North Senatorial district, the sitting senator, Dr. Olubunmi Adetunmbi lost his re-election bid to return to upper chamber after losing the tickets to the Director General of the APC governorship candidate in the June 18 poll, Hon. Cyril Fasuyi.In the shadow poll held in Ido-Ekiti, the headquarters of the senatorial district, Adetunmbi came second having polled 85 votes behind Fasuyi who scored 111 votes, while former banker, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu who garnered 47 came distant third.

Gov. Sani-Bello emerges in Niger North
Niger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has won the Senatorial ticket for Niger North Senatorial zone. The result of senatorial primaries which was held in Kontagora, showed that the Governor got 335 votes while the current Senator representing the Zone, Senator Sabi Abdullahi got seven votes. The current Senator representing Niger East Senatorial zone, Senator Sani Musa, also won a ticket to return to the red chamber.

The result of senatorial primaries of Niger East showed that Sani Musa got 492 votes as against Dr Dada Nakowa who got two votes. The result for Niger South Senatorial zone is still being counted as at the time of filing this result. However, sources have stated that the current Senator, Bima Enagi is leading.