Post-2015: APC, PDP test might with re-runs, by-elections

For the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it has been an endless test of might since the 2015 general elections as both parties continue to seize the opportunity of rerun and by elections in some senatorial districts, federal and state constituencies to prove their mettle, New Telegraph correspondents report

Kogi

In Kogi State, there were two senatorial rerun elections in Kogi Central and Kogi East districts of the state in July 2016. In Kogi Central, the candidate of the PDP, Ahmed Ogembe, was declared winner after he polled 45,468 votes, while Senator Nurudeen Abatemi of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), who was his closest challenger in the race polled 31,163 votes. In Kogi East, former Chief Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isaac Alfa (PDP), contested against five other political parties excluding the ruling APC, which was barred from fielding a candidate by the court.

Air Vice-Marshal Isaac Alfa (rtd) was declared winner after he polled 57,575 votes to defeat the candidates of MPPP, UPP, KOWA, ACPN and LP, who scored 1,793, 888,498, 349 and 11,908 votes, respectively. In another re-run election for Idah state constituency seat, Haruna Idoko polled 8,346 votes to defeat James Ukwubile of the PDP, who polled 8,274 votes. The APC candidate, Haruna Isah, also won August 2018 by-election for Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency.

The election followed the death of Hon. Umar Buba Jibril, erstwhile deputy majority leader on Friday, March 30, 2018. Isah polled a total of 26,860 votes to defeat his closest rival, Engr. Bashir Abubakar Gegu of the PDP who polled 14,845 votes.

The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Mabo Kassim polled 2,984 votes. Former Speaker of the state Assembly, Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam of Social Democratic Party (SDP) polled 2,916 to stand at the fourth position.

Rivers

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on December 10, 2016, conducted rerun polls in three senatorial districts, eight federal constituencies and 10 state constituencies in Rivers State, after the court annulled the March 2015 legislative elections in the state. When the elections were first organised earlier in 2016, the exercise was marred by bloody violence that forced the commission to end the exercise mid-way before it was rescheduled to hold December 10.

Despite deployment of 28,000 security operatives for the rescheduled on December 10, it was attended by widespread irregularities and violence that claimed lives. Magnus Abe, candidate of the APC was declared winner of Rivers South- East senatorial district.

Abe polled 125,938 votes to defeat Olaka Nwogu of PDP, who scored 25,394. Kingsley Onyekwere Okechukwu of the Labour Party scored 549 votes , Comerade Oke Ude of the NNPP got 96 votes, , while Efrida of the UDP scored 99 votes. George Sekibo of the PDP recorded 93,098 votes to beat Andrew Uchendu of the APC who scored34, 193 votes for Rivers East senatorial district. Osinachukwu Ideozu won the Rivers West senatorial district election. Ideozu was declared winner with 107,166 votes defeating Otelemaba Amachreeof theAPC, whopolled48,898votes. In Rivers South-East; Barry Mpigi of the APC was declared winner of Tai/Oyigbo/Eleme Federal Constituency with 48,760 votes to defeat PDP’s Jacobson Mbina who polled 11,737 votes.

APC’s Maurice Pronen won Khana- Gokana Federal Constituency seat with 68, 219 votes while Dum Deekor of PDP scored 20, 329 votes. Friday Nkeeh of the APC was also declared winner for the Rivers State House of Assembly seat, Khana Constituency 2 with 15,000 votes to beat PDP’s Dinebari Loolo, who polled 4,000. Dr. Innocent Barikor of the APC won Gokana state constituency with 24,624 votes, defeating PDP’s Israel Ngbuelu. The PDP, however, defeated APC in Etche/Omuma federal constituency andEtcheIIstateconstituencyelections.

For the Etche/Omuma federal constituency, PDP’s Jerome Eke polled 15,221 votes to defeat APC’s Ogbonna Nwuka with 6,220 votes. The PDP also defeated APC in the Etche II poll with its candidate, Tony Ejiogu, scoring 4,162 votes to defeat Golden Chioma who contested on the platform of APC.

Taraba

In Taraba State, there was a byelection for Ardo-Kola State Constituency seat in February 2018. The seat became vacant following the death of its occupier, Hon. Emmanuel Dame of PDP. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the election. The party’s candidate, Dominic Bukuni, scored 8,848, while Alhaji Sanusi Janbawaile of the All Progressives Congress APC scored 8,308 votes. The PDP won another by-election conducted on August 18 Election for Takum 1 state constituency seat. The party’s candidate, Garba Ajiya, won five of the six constituency’s ward with a total vote of 10,725 to emerge winner, while candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr. Atem Ansho, polled 3,268 votes. The election was to fill the vacant seat of the late Hosea Ibi, member of the Assembly, who was kidnapped on December 31, 2017 and murdered by his abductors in January 2018.

Cross River

The candidate of the PDP, Mrs. Abbey Ukpukpen, won the August 11, Obudu state constituency by-election into the Cross River House of Assembly. Mrs. Ukpukpen is the wife of the deceased member of the Assembly, Stephen Ukpukpen, who died in May. She scored 12,712 votes to beat her closest rival, Ishamali Bendel, of the APC, who scored 4,345 votes. Awafang Angiating of Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) scored 132 votes, while Agwupuye Umeka of African Democratic Party (ADP) scored 114 votes to place third and fourth, respectively.

Osun

Two by-elections have been conducted in Osun State since 2015 following the deaths of the Minority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Oladejo Makinde, who represented Ife Central state constituency on the platform of the PDP and Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who until his demise represented Osun West senatorial district on the platform of APC. Makinde died in 2016, while Adeleke died in 2017. The April 9, 2016 by-election for Makinde’s seat was won by Dipo Eluwole also of the PDP, while the July 8, 2017 by-election for Adeleke’s seat was won by his younger brother, Ademola, who contested the poll on the platform of the PDP. Eluwole scored 5,504 votes, while Adetillewa Sijuwade of the APC had 4,587 votes. Olusegun Fanibe of Accord party polled (4,790), Rafiu Anifowose of CPP 91 votes; Serah Elujulo of NPPP, 11 votes; and Segun Adefarare of NNPP, 25 votes. For the Osun West senatorial poll, Adeleke polled 97, 480 votes to defeat a former senator, Mudashiru Hussein of the APC, who had 66,116 votes. Adeleke won in nine out of the 10 local government areas that make up the senatorial district.

Delta

Sequel to the vacuum created by the demise of Hon. Mrs. Omowumi Udoh, the member of DeltaState House of Assembly, representing Warri South, last year, there was a clash of interest between the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. Unfortunately for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state, the by-election was to be conducted when the party was enmeshed in leadership crisis between Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi. This left Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who belonged to Makarfi’s faction at cross roads as the court judgement at that time favoured Sheriff. So, it was Sheriff’s faction that produced the flag bearer of the party. But Okowa played smart on the party. He fielded a Princess Shola Daboh as the candidate of Accord Party (AP), who won the election and few months after defected to PDP. Daboh scored 5,546 votes to defeat the candidate of the APC, Prince Stanley Emiko, who polled 2,010 votes to come second, while the candidate of the PDP, Mr. Ojere Wilfred Edeyibo, came a distant third with 183 votes.

Kwara

The only by-election in Kwara State since the 2015 general elections was held on May 29, 2016 to replace a deceased member of the state House of Assembly, Hon Moses Afolayan, who represented Oke-Ero state constituency before his demise. His replacement was his wife, Mrs. Victoria Afolayan. She contested on the platform of APC and won with 5,346 votes as against 1,248 votes garnered by her opponent, Olusola Adeoti of the PDP. However, she is now in the PDP.

Abia

After the 2015 elections in Abia State, the court ordered a re-run in Abia North senatorial district between the candidate of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPA) and a former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and the candidate of the PDP, Mao Ohuabunwa. The PDP candidate was however declared winner of the March 5, poll. Ohuabunwa polled 26,009 votes against Kalu’s 25,814 votes, while the candidate of the All Progressives grand Alliance (APGA), Chief David Ogba Onuoha came third with 13,633 votes. The candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Nwanna Okoro and Chief Oji Nwachukwu of the Labour Party (LP) polled 976 votes and 147 votes respectively.

Imo

In Imo State, Ben Uwajumogu of the APC won the Imo North senatorial district re-run held on July 28, 2016. Uwajumogu scored 56,076 votes to defeat Athan Achonu of the PDP, who scored 43,815 votes. The outcome was a summation of scores of July 23 and that of July 28 exercise. Uwajumogu had scored 48,921 on July 23, while Achonu scored 40, 142 votes which made INEC to declare the rerun inconclusive. Similarly, INEC declared Nkenna Nzeruo of the APC winner of Oru East state constituency seat, while Collins Chiji also of APC was declared winner for Isiala Mbano state constituency seat. The two state constituencies’ elections were equally declared inconclusive due to reported cases of violence that marred the exercise in some communities in the two areas on July 23.

Bauchi

Following the death of Senator Ali Wakili, who represented Bauchi South senatorial districts in the Senate on March 17, 2018, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted a by-election to fill in the vacuum created. August 11, 2018 was fixed for the conduct of the poll. The political parties that participated in the by-election include Action Peoples Party (APP), All Progressive Congress (APC), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Kowa Party (KP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democracy Congress (ADC), Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN), Democratic Alternative (DA), Peoples Democratic Congress (PDC) and Mega Party of Nigeria (NPN) The result as announced by INEC for each political that participated showed that ADC scored 1,754, APC (119, 489), APP (11,717), DA (467), GPN (33,079), KP (240), MMN (429), MPN (322), NNPP (22,896), PDC (1,203), PDP (50,256) and SDP (3,800). The APC candidate, Lawan Gumau, was declared the winner of by-election.

Benue

The re-run in Benue South senatorial district held on February 20, 2016 was won by former Senate President, Senator David Mark. Mark who contested on the platform of the (PDP) defeated his main challenger, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, of the APC with 84,192 votes against Onjeh’s 71,621 votes. Mark won in five out of the nine local government areas that make up the senatorial district – Agatu, Agatu, Apa, Otukpo and Okpokwu, while Onjeh won in Ogbadibo, Ohimini, Obi and Oju. The senatorial re-run was held after the Appeal Court had nullified the March 28, 2015 election of which Senator Mark was declared winner.

Plateau

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has conducted two by-elections in Plateau State since the conduct of 2015 general elections. The by-elections were conducted on November 28, 2015 in Quapan North state constituency following the death of Hon. Godfrey Dashe, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, but died five months after he was elected and February 11, 2017 in Langtang South state constituency sequel to a Federal High Court judgement that invalidated the victory of Vincent Bulus, the PDP candidate in the April 14, 2015 elections after it was proved that he was an ex-convict. In Qua’an Pan North constituency, the APC candidate, Hon. Eric Dakogol, won the by-election. He polled 5,409 votes to defeat his PDP counterpart, Alloy Oliver, who garnered 4,977 votes. The APC also won the Langtang South by-election through Jackson Nimmwang. He polled 3,688 votes to beat the Mega Progressives Peoples Party (MPPP) candidate, Rinsmicit Emmanuel, who scored only 83 votes. Only APC and MPPP vied for the seat since the PDP was barred from fielding a candidate.

Oyo

Following the murder on July 1, 2016, of Hon. Gideon Aremu, lawmaker representing the Oorelope state constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, a by-election was conducted on August 23, 2016, by INEC. Aremu was a elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP). He was Chairman, House Committee on Information and Security before his demise. In the by-election, the ruling APC in the state fielded Jimoh Gbadamosi who polled 4,148 to lose to candidate of LP candidate, Lukman Balogun, who polled 6,122 votes. Accord Party’s (AP) candidate, Solomon Olabisi, polled 2,123 votes. Another by-election was conducted in the state following the death of the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Michael Adeyemo, on April 27, 2018. The poll was conducted in the Ibarapa East state constituency on June 2. Seven parties participated, and again, the APC candidate, Olukunle Adeyemo, losLagos
The by-election for the Ifako-
Ijaiye Federalt to the PDP candidate, Adebo Ogundoyin. While Ogundoyin polled 6,277, Adeyemo polled 4,619 votes. Other parties that fielded candidates and their votes include Accord (2,859); FDP (83); HDP (14); MPN (09); and NPC (60).

Niger

In Niger State, there was a by election in Suleja state constituency on February 20, 2016, where the PDP’s candidate, Shuaibu Liman Iya, was declared the winner. The ruling APC in the state did not take part in the election as a result of its disqualification by INEC following a court judgement. Liman polled 9,036 votes to beat his closest challenger, Salihu Kalanah of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA),who pulled 6,230 votes. However, Liman has defected to the APC thereby forfeiting his position in the state House of Assembly as Minority Leader.

Lagos

The by-election for the Ifako- Ijaiye Federal Constituency seat held on December 3, 2016, was as a result of the death of Hon. Elijah Adewale, who represented the constituency in the House of Representatives. Adewale, who was elected on the platform of the APC died on July 20, 2016.

The poll held in the 687 polling units in the constituency and was won by the candidate of the APC, Nurudeen Akin, who polled 7,640 votes to defeat his closest rival, Babatope Akinyele of the PDP, who garnered 1,771 votes. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) polled five votes, Action Alliance (AA) had 14 votes, African Democratic Congress (ADC) had 158 votes, while Alliance for Democracy (AD) had 101 votes. Another by-election was conducted in Eti-Osa State Constituency 1 on September 30, 2017, to fill the vacant seat as a result of the death of Hon. Kazeem Alimi, who died on July 8, 2017. He was a member of the APC. The candidate of the APC, Noheem Adams, won the election after polling 4,204 votes to defeat his closest rival, Arubiewe Abogun of the PDP, who polled 1,652 votes. Action Alliance had 10 votes, Alliance for Democracy 128 votes; Better Nigeria Peoples Party five votes; Democratic Alliance one vote and Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) eight votes.

Sokoto

Hon. Abdullahi Kalambaina of APC won the Kware/Wamakko Federal Constituency’s by-election in Sokoto State. The election followed the death of the occupant of the seat Hon. Muhammad Wammako in July, 2017. Kalambaina polled 31,288 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Aminu Bello-Kware of the PDP, who polled 7,205. Alhaji Kabir Altine of ACPN scored 62 votes, Umaru Muhammad of ADC (80), Muktar Umar of APA (342), Aliyu Bilyaminu of APGA (121), Abubakar Bello of DA (32) and Jamilu Imam of DPP (155). Others were Abdullahi Abubakar of GPN (326), Abubakar Ahmad of KOWA (33), Kabiru Almustapha of MMN (24), Abubakar Sama’ila of MPPP (19), Kabiru Ahmad of NCP (28), Umar Ma’azu of NDLP (50), Aminu Mustaphaof NEPP (33), Yahaya Muhammad of NCP (105), Nura Abubakar of PPP (38), Nasiru Garba of SDP (27), Abdulrahman Dalhatu of UPN (15), Sanusi Aliyu of UPP (six), Shehu Buba of YPP (five) and Hafsatu Umar of AP (52 ).

Yobe

Hon. Abdullahi Kukuwa of the APC won the by-election into the Amaturu/Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani federal constituency of Yobe State. He scored 23,745 votes to defeat Nasiru Hassan of the PDP, who polled 6,990 votes. The Yobe federal constituency seat became vacant following the appointment of Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba-Ibrahim as a minister in the federal cabinet.

Nasarawa

Hon. Ja’afaru Mohammed- Ibrahim of the APC won the byelection in Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency of Nasarawa state conducted on May 28, 2016. The APC candidate polled 55,981 votes to beat his closest rival, Hon. Musa Ahmed-Mohammed of the PDP, who had 17,475 votes. The poll was due to the death of Hon. Musa Baba-Onwana on Thursday, March 17, 2016 at the age of 50. He was of the APC. Four political parties participated in the election. The other parties, APGA and LP scored 12,227 and 45 votes, respectively.

Katsina

The state has witnessed the conduct of four by-elections after the 2015 general elections. The first byelection was for the Katsina Central federal constituency following the demise of Sheikh Umar of the APC. Sani Aliyu Danlami, who was fielded by the party in the poll won by scoring 21,480 votes to defeat his closest rival, Muntari Kabir of the PDP, who polled 5,890 votes while the candidate of the NCP got 179 votes. The second by-election was for the Jibia state constituency seat in the House of Assembly. Faisal Musa who died in Saudi Arabia in 2015 during the Hajj Stampede was the occupant of the seat. In the by-election conducted on December 12, 2015, Mustapha Yusuf of the APC defeated Mi’ita Abba of the PDP with 13,610 against 5,225 votes. In the third by-election on May 20, 2017, Mansur Ali of the APC won the Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency seat. He won the election with 27,968 votes. Nazif Yusuf of the PDP scored 19,451 votes, while Kabir Abdullahi of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) polled 332 votes. The by-election was sequel to the death of the former member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Sani Bello, who passed away on February 15, 2017 at the age of 51. The forth by-election was conducted on August 11 this year for Katsina North Senatorial District as a result of the death of Senator Mustapha Bukar. Again, the APC candidate Hon. Ahmed Babba Kaita defeated his elder brother, Alhaji Kabir Babba Kaita of the PDP. The APC candidate scored 224,607 votes, while the PDP candidate scored 59,724 votes.

Edo

On January 29, 2017, INEC declared Mr. Johson Oghuma of the APC as winner of the Etsako federal constituency by-election. Oghuma polled 39,876 votes to defeat his rival and candidate of the PDP, Mr. Jude Imagwe, who scored 18,193 votes. Imagwe was the former Senior Special Assistant To ex-President Godluck Jonathan on Youth Mobilization. The by-election was to replace Hon. Philip Shuaibu, who resigned his membership of the House of Representatives to become the deputy governor of Edo State.

New Telegraph