Early results from the supplementary governorship elections in Adamawa show a low turnout of voters, which may be enough to give Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party, victory over Aisha Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress.
From the votes so far released, Aisha Dahiru, the APC candidate may no longer be able to make up the votes deficit.
Dahiru was trailing Fintiri by 31,000 votes after the March 18 election and needed virtually all the 37,000 registered voters with PVCs to turn up on Saturday’s supplementary polls to overcome the deficit.
In the results released from Yola South, only 1,552 of the 5,477 eligible voters turned up. APC got 797 votes to PDP’s 678 votes. In Demsa LGA, 168 of the 366 eligible voters turned up with the PDP securing 124 of those votes against the APC’s 43.
In Yola North LGA, 746 of the 2,222 eligible voters showed up while 368 voted for APC and 357 voted for PDP.
Results from Ganye LGA show that 501 of the 863 eligible voters showed up. APC secured 176 of the votes with PDP scoring 309.
In Jada LGA, only 442 of the 802 eligible voters showed up. APC got 145 of their votes while the PDP got 271.
In Shelleng LGA, 1,081 voters were registered to vote but only 526 were accredited yesterday. APC got 223 of their votes to PDP’s 299
In Song LGA, 2,275 voters were registered but only 1,011 came out to vote. 558 of them voted for APC while 411 voted PDP:l.
Before the collation of results commenced however, security personnels deployed to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Yola, barred journalists from accessing the center, where results of governorship and assembly supplementary polls were being collated.
Accredited journalists mostlybfrom the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), were turned away by the combined security team at the center, on Saturday.
The security officials were said to have received the directives from the above to stop journalists from entering the Centre.
LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that, as at 3:00 pm local government collation officers had already gathered at the collation centre, even before the election ended across the state.
Dr Aliyu Idi Hong, Peoples Democratic Party agent told journalists that the INEC officials are contemplating shifting the collation centre from it normal Bank Road venue to an unknown destination for reasons best known to them.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Barrister Yunusa Hudu Ari, could not be reached to comment on the matter.
The conduct of governorship and state assembly supplementary elections, however commenced peacefully with accreditation of voters and voting taking place simultaneously, amidst tight security in the state
LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that, both sensitive and non sensitive election materials arrived polling units at about 8:00 a.m, while accreditation of voters began immediately.
Voters, were seen orderly on queue at unit 01 Alhaji Buba Jalo, unit 02 Buba Mai gari, unit 05 Kofar Jauro Audu in Yola-North LGA and unit 06 Makama A word Lamido Mustapha clinic Yola-South LGA.
The turnout of voters was impressive across most of the polling units visited.
However, people defied restriction of human and vehicular movement from 12 am to 5 pm by the police, as shops were seen open and people went about their normal businesses in the entire state.
Police and other security personnel were seen at all the polling units and checkpoints were mounted on major roads in the state.
The supplementary elections, in ongoing in 69 polling units with a total number of registered voters of 42,785, while PVCs collected in those PUs are 32,935 across 20 LGAs in the state.
Witnessed Large Turn Out And Peacefully
In Kebbi state where there was also supplementary governorship election, there was an impressive turnout of voters but not enough to have changed to course of the election where the APC had a 45,000-vote lead.
The governorship, Senate, national and state assemblies elections commenced in the all the 142 designated polling units approved by Independent National Eectoral Commission INEC in Kebbi State.
Our correspondent who visited some polling units in Birnin Kebbi metropolis and outskirts of the state capital observed that voters in large numbers come en-masse in order cast their votes.
At ubandoma Yar yara polling unit in Birnin Kebbi metropolis, Leadership Sunday gathered that the voters, mostly women and youths were seen on queue waiting for their turn to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.
Also at Gangaren Takalau area polling unit in the state capital, there was heavy presence of security officials, who stood up to ensure the polls conducted hitch free.
Speaking to Journalists, chairman of Birnin Kebbi local government, Hon Aminu S. Fada expressed his happiness with the way and manner INEC officials and the security personnel as well as the voters conducted themselves during the voting exercise.
Our correspondent also gathered that there was vote buying by some poltical titans who hid their identities in order to be successful at the elections.
Commissioner of police in the state, Lawal Abubakar Daura also led a team of security personnel to monitor almost all the designated polling units under Gwandu emirate in order ensure the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
One person was however confirmed killed after attempting to snatch a ballot box during the election in Bajida Town in Fakai local government area of the state.
INEC announced that it would ommence collation of results from all the 20 out of 21 local government areas where the re-run was held at 10 o’clock last night at its collation centre at headquarters in Birnin Kebbi .
Meanwhile, the ruling APC is closer to securing a majority in the House of Representatives, which will enable the party determine who becomes speaker. The party won key races in Kano, Oyo and was on course to securing about seven seats in Sokoto.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday declared the Majority leader of the House Representatives Alhassan Ado Daguwa winner of the Tudun-wada/Doguwa federal Constituency.
The INEC Returning officer Professor Sani Ibrahim from the department of Biological Sciences Bayero university, Kano declared Alhassan Ado, the candidate of the All-prograssive Congress (APC) winner. He polled 41,573 to defeat his closest rival, the candidate of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) who polled 34,533 votes.
Speaking to Leadership Sunday shortly after the declaration by INEC, Honourable Alhassan Ado Doguwa described his victory as an act of God, who gives power to whom he wishes and take it at will.
He said, “We are going to open a new page by ensuring a very strong humanitarian assistance to our people .
“We shall work assiduously towards enhancing the lives of the people of our Constituency, Kano, and Nigeria in general.”
He added that he will ensure that all that he does would fall in tandem with the yearnings and aspirations of the electorates who fought tooth and nail to vote for him massively.
On his ambition to contest for the Speakership of the House of Representatives said power comes from God and to Him, he will put his trust.
“I will definitely join the race and by God grace I will emerge victorious”, he declared.
He then called on the losers to resign to fate as he promised to carry everyone along and be magnimous in victory.
Tambuwal Maintains Lead In Senate Race
Reports give the PDP early lead at the supplementary election conducted in Sokoto on Saturday.
According to reports from the grapevine, the PDP is likely to emerge winners in two senatorial districts while APC retains one of the three senatorial seats under the kitty of the party.
The state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, according to a source is maintaining his wide margin victory over incumbent Senator Abdullahi Danbaba, prior to the election being declared inconclusive.
The overwhelming landslide victory recorded by incumbent Senator Aliyu Wamakko, representing Sokoto Central seems a herculean task to incumbent deputy governor, Honourable Manir Dan’Iya, to overcome.
However, the race for the Northern senatorial district seat, seems to be too close to call but, may likely go the way of the PDP.
As collation begins from the three Senatorial districts headquarters located at Bodinga, Gwadabawa and Sokoto North local government headquarters, PDP may likely pull surprises in Kebbe/Tambuwal, Goronyo/Gada, Sokoto North/South, in addition to Yabo/Shagari federal constituencies.
The rest of the seven federal constituencies may likely go the way of opposition APC in the state, according to political pundits.
Observers Give Sokoto Supplementary Polls Pass Mark
As the National Assembly supplementary elections got underway in Sokoto State on Saturday, accredited Election Observers commended the smooth arrangements put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the elections.
Similarly, they acknowledged the turnout of voters, which they described as impressive.
Leader of the coalition of the observers, made up of 10 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Ambassador Prince Emeka, told journalists that, “we have seen the readiness of INEC with regards to the modalities towards ensuring a peaceful and credible elections.
“Yesterday, we met the Commissioner of Police and other security heads in charge of these elections and from our interactions with them, they guaranteed a peaceful atmosphere for the conduct of the elections.
“Results so far from our colleagues across the 23 local governments indicate that the supplementary elections are going on smoothly as electoral officers and materials arrived polling units to commence voting on time.
“Our appeal to the voters is to shun vote buying and any form of electoral fraud because men of the ICPC and EFCC are on the prowl,” said Ambassador Emeka, the Executive Director, Centre for Grassroots Development and Crime Prevention.
On his part, David Danladi Isaac, a member of the INEC Accredited Observers and Executive Director, People’s Care Initiative, disclosed that proceedings and outcome of the INEC stakeholders meeting held prior to the elections, gave the indication that all hands were on deck for a credible poll.
According to him, “the INEC stakeholders meeting with all and sundry in attendance cleared all grey areas concerning preparations and conducts of the supplementary election. Distribution of electoral materials was done in the presence of all stakeholders concerned.”
Recall that in the February 25 Senatorial and House of Representatives elections held in Sokoto state, all the three Senatorial seats and 11 House of Representatives seats were declared inconclusive with the exception of the Yabo/Shagari federal constituency seat, which was declared concluded lately in favour of Hon. Umar Yusuf Yabo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
