Major roads, highways deserted as Buhari wins

After months of heated political campaigns and soul-touching debates, the presidential
candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday defeated his main rival and candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Goodluck Jonathan with over three million votes.
With the results finally released by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, the long-drawn battle has finally ended with President Jonathan calling Buhari and conceding victory to him.
Some of the results released yesterday include Ebonyi State which gave President Jonathan 323,653 votes out of 1,071,226 registered voters in the state. APC secured 19,518 votes out of the 425,301 accredited voters. Total number of  votes cast are 393,337. Valid votes were 363,888, while number of rejected votes were 29,449. Like in other states, there were pockets of cancellations.
In Niger State, APC secured 657,678 votes out of 1,995,679 registered voters. PDP performed poorly with only 149,222 votes out of the 933,607 accredited voters. Total votes cast were 844,683 while valid votes recorded amounted to 813,671. There were few cases of cancellation across various local governments of the state. Rejected votes amounted to 31,012.
APC claimed victory in Lagos State, polling 792,469. PDP trailed with 632,327 votes. There was high level of voters’ apathy in the state. Total number of registered voters was 5,827,806, while only 1,678,754 voters were accredited by INEC. Total votes cast were 1,495,975, while valid votes cast were 1,443,686. Rejected number of votes totalled 52,289.
In President Jonathan’s home state, Bayelsa, the turnout was equally poor, with only 371,739 votes out of 695,637 registered voters. PDP won by a landslide with 361,209 as against APC’s 5,194 votes. Total number of accredited voters was 384,789. Valid votes were 367,067 while rejected votes were 4,672. There was no case of cancellation across the eight local government areas.
APC also claimed victory in Gombe State, scoring 361,245 votes against PDP’s poor 96,873 votes. Total number of registered voters stands at 1,110,105. Accredited voters stood at 515,828, while total number of votes cast were 473,444. Valid votes were 460,599 and rejected votes 12,845. There were cases of violence and cancellation of votes in some polling units across the state.
PDP clinched victory in Cross River State with 414,863 votes out of 500,577 accredited voters. APC snatched 28,368 out of 450,577 valid votes. There are 1,144,288 registered voters in the state and total votes cast stood at 465,906 while 15,392 votes were rejected.
Rivers State, which has been under close watch from both parties finally went the way of the ruling party. It won with a landslide, almost rivaling Kano State. Out of 2,324,300 registered voters, PDP snatched 1,487,075 votes, while APC got 69,238. Accredited number of voters stood at 1,565,461 while total number of votes cast amounted to 1,584,768. INEC rejected 19,307 votes. As expected, ballot boxes were snatched in the state during the elections.
In Adamawa, APC won with over 100,000 votes. It polled 374,701 to defeat PDP which garnered 251,664. Total number of registered voters in the state stand at 1,518,123. Accredited voters stood at 709,993. Total number of votes cast 661,210. Valid votes 636,018. The breakdown showed that rejected votes stood at 25,192. Cancellations were recorded in some parts of the state.
APC also beat the PDP in Zamfara, polling 612,202 votes against PDP’s 114,833. Total number of registered voters in the state stood at 1,484,941. Accredited number pegged at 875,049. Total number of votes cast 780,179. Valid votes stood at 761,022 while rejected votes totaled 19,157 and canceled votes stood at 11,806.
Kebbi State was not left out as APC won with 567,883 to defeat PDP which polled 100,976. Total number of registered voters stood at 1,457,763 and accredited number of voters were 762,817 while the valid votes stood at 677,003. Total votes cast were 715,122 while rejected number was 38,119. There were reported cases of cancellation.
Surprisingly, APC won in PDP-dominated Benue State with over 50,000 votes. It polled 373,961 against PDP’s 303,737 out of the 1,893,596 registered voters in the state. Total number of votes cast stood at 703,131. Valid votes were 683,264, while cancelled votes stood at 83,918.