Tambuwal, Amosun, Ajimobi, Ahmed, Peterside, Emerhor, Ezea emerge APC guber candidates

All Progressives Congress (APC) held its governorship primaries across the country yesterday, results obtained revealed that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal yesterday emerged the governorship candidate of the APC in Sokoto State.

He polled over 3000 votes to defeat  Senator Dahiru Tambuwal  and Mallam Yushau, who polled 23 and 13 votes respectively.

The results in the other states are:

Lagos

A former Accountant General in Lagos, Akinwumi Ambode was touted to be in early lead in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries as at press time.
He  contested alongside 11 other aspirants including the incumbent Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, a former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan, a former Attorney General of Lagos, Supo  Shasore whom many believed was favoured by Governor Babatunde Fashola, and a former Commissioner for Works, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and others.

The keenly contested  primaries took place  at Onikan Stadium on Lagos Island where over 5,000 delegates from the 20 local governments in the state participated in the election. Voting started at 2p.m.

While speaking at the event, the state Chairman of the party, Chief Henry Ajomale urged those who lost to accept their defeat and work for the progress of the party and the state. He also denied responsibility for a text message which was circulated while the primaries were still going on asking the delegates to vote for a particular aspirant.
“I learnt that there was a text message being circulated to members of the party allegedly from me, asking the delegates to vote for a particular candidate. I am not responsible for the said message and I do not have any preferred candidate. For this reason, I decided to abstain from voting.

Among the 12 aspirants, only one was meant to emerge and I urge those who did not win to accept the outcome of the primaries and work for the progress of the party and the state,” he said.

Tinubu, who was not present, sent a goodwill message congratulating the aspirants on their conduct and imploring them to work together with the winner to move the party forward. He said he had previously met with all the aspirants and they promised that the primaries were going to be free and fair.

“I want to commend all the aspirants for their matured conduct in ensuring that the primaries went on smoothly. They traversed the length and breadth of Lagos, selling their manifestos to the people, which was the best thing to do.
As much as I wish the party to reward all the aspirants for their efforts, it is impossible to do so. We believe in you all, but for the state to move forward, we must all join hands and work together. The way we will conduct ourselves after now will be a reflection of what Lagos represents. Our enemies lie in wait for us to tear each other apart, but we should remain as a family and settle whatever differences we may have amicably.”
Rivers

There was mixed feelings yesterday over the emergence of Dr. Dakuku Peterside, as the consensus governorship candidate of the APC in Rivers State, ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Immediately the state  Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, declared that  Peterside was the party’s flag bearer and the 25 lawmakers of the House of Assembly would be given automatic ticket, some people left the hall, thereby causing some distractions before voting commenced.
The federal lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, who was a governorship hopeful from the Ogoni extraction, was conspicuously absent.
Speaking on the choice of Peterside, who is the lawmaker representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, in the House of Representatives, the governor explained that his adoption was in the best interest of Rivers people.
According to him, the caucus of the party met and picked him as the APC governorship flag bearer in the forthcoming general elections in the state.
Addressing the over 4,700 delegates, the governor stated that, his “bosom friend,” Senator Magnus Abe and his deputy, Mr. Tele Ikuru, were as qualified as Peterside, for the position of the governor, adding that they sat and took the decision.
“The flag bearer, by God’s grace is Dakuku Adolphus Peterside because we sat and agreed on that. That does not mean that my bosom friend, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe was not qualified. I respect his intellect.”
He said: “There are two Nigerians I respect their intellect. They are Senator Magnus Abe and Odein Ajumogobia

Imo
The primaries were deferred in Imo State until after the presidential primaries of the party. Although, no specific date has been fixed for the postponed election, the state chairman of the party, Hillary Eke disclosed that a new date for the election might be fixed after a general meeting of the party held yesterday.

But Daily Sun reliably gathered that the postponement of the governorship primaries of the party in the state was apparently to wait for the outcome of the presidential primaries of the party slated for December 10, in which Governor Rochas Okorocha  is a contestant.

It was equally learnt that Governor Okorocha remains the sole candidate of the party for the governorship election and that even if he wins the presidential ticket of the party, that he is the only one who will pick his successor.
Ogun

In Ogun State, Governor Ibikunle Amosun was affirmed as the governorship candidate of the APC. Hundreds of APC members and Delegates from the 20 local government areas who thronged the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto,  Abeokuta in a fanfare affirmed Amosun as the candidate for the party.

About 3, 861 delegates elected Amosun as the governorship candidate of the party.

The governorship primaries, which held under heavy security presence, was also supervised by state and national representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headed by Kehinde Mustapha.

Voting commenced at exactly 1p.m after the congress Electoral Committee headed by Mr. Tunde Oladunjoye had finished accreditation of the delegates.

Governor Amosun, who described the exercise as a peaceful one however, said it was a call on him to do more “for the people of the state.”

Oyo

The incumbent governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi,  won the APC governorship primaries in the state with 4,662 votes from a total of 4,774 votes cast.
He defeated his opponent, Dr. Ayobami Adesina, son of former governor of the state, Alhaji Lam Adesina, who polled 22 votes. A total of 90 votes were invalid while 4, 684 were valid.
The chairman of five-member committee that conducted the primaries, Mr. Lumumpa Adeh, said 4,776 delegates were accredited for the primaries.
The third aspirant, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, who is a  former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in the state, who petitioned the five-man electoral committee that conducted the primaries said that he would not participate in the exercise. He was said to have filed a case at the Federal High Court over issues bordering on the ward delegate congress of APC and delegates that voted during the exercise.
The result of the election was announced at 7:40p.m.
Accreditation of delegates began at 9:30a.m while voting commenced at 3p.m at the main bowl of Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan. The voting ended at 5:15p.m.
In a chat with newsmen after the result was announced, Ajimobi was hopeful that he would also win the 2015 governorship poll.
Ajimobi, who arrived the stadium at 2:30p.m eventually voted at 5:10p.m. He was part of the delegates from Ibadan South-West Local Government Area.
Kwara

In Kwara State, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed was  declared winner of the governorship primary. He was sole candidate at the primary, and the election was mere formality.
Ahmed polled a total vote of 3,015 out of the 3,225 delegates while nine votes  were voided.
The governorship primary was conducted  under a peaceful atmosphere.

Speaking after the announcement of the results, Governor Ahmed addressed delegates, promising to do more for the state if reelected governor in February.
He assured that if given second term re-election he will elevate the state and its people to a greater height.

“We don’t know what tomorrow holds but we know those who hold tomorrow who are the youths,” he said.
In his address, Senator Bukola Saraki commended the delegates for peacefully conducting themselves at the primary and promised that the APC government at state and national level will not fail them.
He disclosed that the first leg of the journey had  started while the second leg would be in February and urged them to go home to their various wards and campaign for the party in order to ensure victory for the party at the 2015 polls.

Delta

A renowned banker, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor  emerged as the governorship candidate of the APC  in Delta State.

In the primary election conducted at the Oshimili Arcade in Asaba, Emerhor polled 3,582 votes to defeat one time governorship running mate, Mr. Fidelis Tilije who scored 195 votes while the third aspirant; Princess Nana Onwordi polled two votes.

The election was conducted by a five-man delegation from national headquarters of the party in Abuja led by Alhaji Aliyu Saad. Others included Jide Olu, Uche Ibeabuchi, Marlin Daniel and Ugochukwu Nnorom.

The election was also witnessed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), amidst heavy presence of security operatives.

In his remarks, Emerhor said his victory at the primary election signaled the end of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the oil-rich state, describing the exercise as very peaceful and called for the collaboration of other contestants to wrest power from the PDP.

Kano

As at press time, three aspirants in Kano State were locked in battle  for the governorship ticket of the party at the Murtala Mohammed Library Complex in the state capital.

Daily Sun gathered that the aspirants as at yesterday evening included the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr.  Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Minority Leader in the Federal House of Representatives, Alhaji Kawu Sumaila and a one- time Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Col Jafaru Isa (retd).

It was further gathered that a former  governor of Kano State and Senator representing Kano South, Alhaji Kabiru Gaya had stepped down  his ambition, settling to contest his senate seat in line with the position reserved for him by the consensus arrangement worked out by the governor of the state.

Daily Sun further gathered that a former Secretary of the defunct ANC, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, who had previously declared his intention to contest was currently in talks with one of the aspirants and might step down before the polls would commence.

Sources however, said the arrangement was rejected by Col. Jafaru Isa (retd), a candidate who is strongly linked to the presidential aspirant of the party, General Muhammadu Buhari  (retd)

Benue

Party primaries ended in crisis in Benue State as some thugs were said to have invaded the party’s secretariat, confiscated electoral materials and set them ablaze. An aspirant who tried to film the crisis was beaten up in the process. No result was declared as a result of the fracas.

Akwa Ibom

In the APC gubernatorial primaries conducted yesterday in Uyo township stadium, the former secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government,  Mr. Umana Okon Umana won landslide with a total of 2, 444 votes as against six votes polled by Senator John Akpanudoedehe. Group Capt E want scored one vote while Mr. Emmanuel Ekpenyong got two votes.

The Sun report