Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Sunday performed the last step in the conduct of 2019 presidential election by opening National Collation Centre for the collation and announcement of results.
Chairman of INEC and Chief Returning Officer, Mr Mahmood Yakubu, who performed the brief ceremony held at International Conference Centre in Abuja, however, adjourned sitting for the collation and announcement of presidential results till 11am today (Monday) after setting the ground rules.
Earlier during an updated press briefing, Yakubu said Ekiti State was the first state to have completed the collation of the results of presidential election and is expected to present it in Abuja.
According to him, the commission was doing everything possible to ensure the speedy collation of results and declaration of winners of the elections conducted on Saturday.
He announced that one of its personnel in Rivers State, Mrs Ibisaki Amachree, was the first casualty of the elections.
The victim was reportedly hit by a bullet while returning from election duty from Degema, Rivers State.
While praying for the repose of her soul, INEC chairman condemned the attacks, adding that INEC would submit a comprehensive report.
Yakubu urged security agencies to expedite investigations and prosecution of the culprits.
Buhari wins in Ekiti
Though INEC chair did not announce the result of the election in Ekiti State, the commission’s Returning Officer, Mr Idowu Olayinka, who is also Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, did.
Olayinka said the standard bearer of APC in the presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari, scored 219,231 votes in Ekiti State while candidate of PDP, Mr Atiku Abubakar, who came second in the state, scored 154,032.
Total valid votes in the poll, he said, were 381,132, rejected votes 12,577, while total votes were 393, 709.
Atiku leads in Ondo, wins 12 LGs, APC 6
However, Atiku is leading in Ondo State after winning 12 out of the 23 local government areas released by INEC as of the time of filing this report.
INEC Returning Officer in the state, Mr Kayode Soremekun, on Sunday said PDP candidate won in nine out of 15 local government areas of the state while Buhari won in six.
According to INEC, the local government areas won by PDP included Idanre, Ondo East, Ose, Ifedore , Akure North and Ile Oluji /Oke Igbo, Irele and Okitipupa Local Government Areas.
However, APC candidate won in Akoko South-East, Akoko South-West, Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West, Owo and Odigbo Local Government Areas.
Similarly, senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Mr Ajayi Boroffice, was declared winner of the senatorial election in the district by INEC.
The two-term senator of APC won the election by polling 53,199, defeating candidates of PDP and Action Alliance, who scored, 34,490 and 43,100 votes respectively.
INEC declared Ondo South Senatorial District poll inconclusive. PDP won Ondo Central senatorial seat.
Buhari, Atiku share 2 LGAs in Benue
In Benue State, Buhari scored 12,197 votes in Tarka Local Government Area to floor Atiku who had 4,875 votes.
Announcing the results on Sunday in Makurdi, INEC Collation Officer for the election in Tarka Local Government Area, Mr Simon Ejembi, said the local government area had 10 registration areas with 50,180 registered voters.
Also announcing result of the presidential poll for Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, the collation officer, Mr Idugba Echi, said PDP candidate polled 8,614 to defeat Buhari, who polled 5,373 votes.
Results of the presidential poll in 21 other local government areas were being awaited.
Buhari in early lead in Katsina
Expectedly in Katsina State where Buhari hails from, APC presidential candidate cleared all the three local governments declared so far by INEC.
The local councils are Daura, Matazu and Ingawa.
In Daura LG, Dr Abdu Yau of the Federal University, Dutsinma, who is the collation officer, said APC polled 37,648 to defeat PDP candidate who had 4,650 votes.
None of the remaining political parties that participated in the election scored up to 10 votes.
Collation Officer for Matazu council, Mr Christopher Ndabula, also of FUDMA, said APC scored 27,625 votes, while PDP polled 9,151 votes.
He put the total votes cast in the council at 37,297 while 567 votes were rejected.
In Ingawa Local Government Area, Buhari won with 29,230 votes, while Atiku who came second polled 7,625 votes.
The collation officer for the council, Mr Suleiman Hassan, who announced the results, put the total votes cast in the council at 39,025.
INEC Chief Returning Officer for Katsina State, Mr Fatimah Mukhtar, was still supervising the announcement of the presidential election result as of the time of filing this report.
Buhari wins seven of nine Borno LGs
Buhari has also won seven of the 27 Local Government Areas in Borno State, as election result collation is progressing in the state.
The exercise, presided over by the state’s Presidential Returning Officer, Mr Saminu Abdulrahaman, said Buhari scored the highest votes cast in seven of the 27 local government areas as indicated in the results so far submitted for collation by the returning officers of the councils.
The councils were Nganzai, Mobbar, Dikwa, Abadam, Guzamala, Gubio and Magumeri.
The presidential election results so far collated indicated that Buhari was taking the lead against Atiku, his closest opponent.
The results as announced by Returning Officer in charge of Nganzai, Mr A. Fusami, showed that APC candidate scored 6,804 as against the 975 votes scored by the PDP’s candidate.
In Mobbar, Mr Baba Shehu, the Returning Officer, declared that Buhari polled 13,122 votes while Atiku scored 280 votes.
For Dikwa; the Returning Officer, Mr J. Ibrahim, disclosed that APC candidate scored 17,805 against the 100 votes scored by PDP candidate.
Mr Ahmed Musa, Returning Officer in charge of Abadam, said APC candidate polled 5,907 while PDP candidate got 270 votes.
The Returning Officer in charge of Guzamala, Mr Zarma Alhaji, announced that Buhari polled 5,370 votes against the 521 votes scored by Atiku.
Also, Mr Kachalla Mohammed, Returning Officer in charge of Gubio, declared that APC candidate polled 10,207 votes while the PDP standard bearer got 510 votes.
Dr Babagana Gambo, Returning Officer in charge of Magumeri, announced that Buhari polled 12,739 against the 694 votes scored by Atiku.
Buhari leads in 7 out of 9 announced LGAs results in Gombe
Buhari is leading Atiku in Gombe State, according to the results of nine Local Government Areas announced on Sunday.
Gombe is a PDP state being governed by Mr Ibrahim Dankwambo, who is running for the Senate on PDP platform.
The results of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections received in Gombe, show that APC is ahead of PDP in seven of the nine LGAs in results announced. The collation was being presided over by Mr Kyari Mohammed, Vice Chancellor, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola.
Presidential election results from Gombe LGA showed that APC polled 86,162 votes, while PDP scored 7,634 votes.
In Nafada LGA, APC scored 15, 417 votes while PDP scored 5, 792 votes.
In Yamaltu-Deba LGA, APC scored 56, 157 votes to defeat PDP which scored 13, 248 votes.
In Dukku LGA, APC scored 36, 010 votes against PDP’s 7,435 while in Kwami LGA, APC polled 36, 317 to beat PDP which had 6,614 votes.
In Balanga LGA, APC scored 29, 647 to defeat PDP which had 14, 614 while in Kaltungo LGA, APC scored 20,944 against PDP’s 20,733.
However, PDP defeated APC in Shongom and Billiri LGAs.
In Shongom LGA, the PDP scored 12, 871 votes against APC’s 9, 642 while in Billiri LGA, APC scored 15, 331 votes while the PDP scored 21, 328 votes.
Buhari leads in 13 Kano LGs
Buhari is leading in 13 local government areas released so far in Kano.
Buhari secured an early lead in the number of votes collated and announced by INEC.
Buhari swept all 13 local government areas announced as of 8pm on Sunday.
Even though Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso who is one of the Directors of PDP Presidential Campaign secured his polling unit by ensuring that Atiku won with 278 votes to Buhari’s 215, he could not prevent Atiku’s loss to Buhari, in Madobi, his local government area. APC won the area by polling 26,110 votes almost double the 13,113 votes the PDP candidate got after the final tally.
INEC collation officer for the presidential election in charge of the local government, Mr Sani Umar, while presenting the results at Kano State INEC collation centre, gave the total number of registered voters as 84,067 out of which 40,764 were accredited to vote.
Total number of votes cast was 40,286 out of which 39,524 were valid and 762 rejected.
Governor Umar Ganduje was able to secure victory for Buhari in his ward and his Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area.
While giving a breakdown of the results in the area, INEC collation officer for the local government, Mr Musa Muhammad, announced that Buhari polled 19,984 as against Atiku’s 7,732 votes.
He said, “The total number of registered voters is 101,254, those accredited to vote were: 61,144. APC received 37,417 and the PDP got 6,507; valid votes were 45,056 while rejected votes were 2,306. The total votes cast, 47,362.”
Collation officer for Garun-Malam Local Government Area, Mr Umar Abdulkadir, announced that APC presidential candidate received 23,810 votes while PDP got 4,861 votes.
Number of accredited voters stood at 31,641. There were 29,004 valid votes and 1,982 votes were cancelled. The total number of votes cast was 30,986.
In Rimin Gado Local Government Area, Collation officer, Mr Ibrahim Sa’ad, announced that 63,347 persons registered to vote out of which 32,878 were accredited. Of this number, APC got 20,589 votes while PDP received 10,035. The total of votes cast stood at 32,343 while 31,472 votes were valid, 871 were rejected.
In Tofa Local Government Area, INEC collation officer, Mr Murtala Badamasi, gave the number of registered voters as 71,348 out of which 30,227 were accredited to vote. Of this number, APC got 19,984 votes while the PDP got 7,732. Total number of votes cast, 29,753, valid votes cast was 28,101, rejected votes 1,652.
Collation officer for Kunchi Local Government, Mr Saminu Bala, said 58,334 registered to vote, 27,281 were accredited to vote. Of this number, APC got 20,375 while PDP got 4,983. The total number of votes cast stood at 26,895 of which 25,753, were valid while 1,142 were rejected.
For Bagwai Local Government, the collation officer, Mr Abdulrasheed Jibya, said number of registered voters was 89,134 out of which 36,929 were accredited to vote. At the end of voting, APC got 23,375 while PDP got 10,584. Total number of votes cast stood at 35,697, valid votes 34,697, rejected votes, 1,096.
In Gabasawa Local Government Area, INEC collation officer, Mr Mustapha Muktar, said 78,627 people registered to vote; those accredited were 32,847 out of this number, the APC secured 24,420 while PDP went away with 6,130. Total number of votes cast, 32,440, valid votes 31,106, rejected 1,334.
Collation officer for Bunkure Local Government, Mr Hafiz Yakasai, said 89,616 persons registered to vote, 39,803 were accredited. APC got 27,232 while PDP got 9,528. Total votes cast, 38,970, valid votes, 37,318 while 1,652 were rejected.
In Karaye Local Government, Collation officer, Mr Mohammed Isa, said 33,243 were accredited to vote; APC got 23,023, PDP got 8,265, valid votes, 31,923, rejected votes 962.
PDP wins Osun East senatorial seat, two Rep seats
PDP’s Mr Francis Fadahunsi has been declared winner of Osun East Senatorial election, defeating Mr Ajibola Famurewa of APC.
According to result of the poll as announced by Returning Officer, Mr Adegbehingbe Oladiran, Fadahunsi polled 115,893 votes to defeat Famurewa, who got 105,720 votes.
PDP candidate Mr. Ajilesoro Abimbola, has been declared winner of Ife Central/Ife North/Ife South and Ife East Federal Constituency election.
Ajilesoro was returned elected after garnering 52,801 votes to beat APC candidate, Oladoyin Folorunsho, who got 46,373 votes.
The INEC’s Returning Officer, Mr Suraju Ajadi, announced results at Oluorogbo Government Middle Schools, Road 7, Ile-Ife on Sunday evening.
Similarly, Mr Bamidele Salam of PDP was declared winner of the Ede Federal Constituency poll.
Returning Officer, Mr Adeniyi Adewusi, said Salam got 46,994 votes to defeat APC’s Adejare Bello, who got 44,866 votes.
Buhari leads Atiku in Oyo, Ajimobi loses four councils to PDP
Meanwhile, Buhari, is leading Atiku based on the total number of votes from 17 local government areas of the state released so far by INEC.
While APC polled 190,940, PDP scored 176,101. But PDP is leading in 11 local governments, while APC leads in six local government areas.
PDP candidate won in Afijio, Saki East, Kajola, Ibarapa North, Ibarapa East, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Ibadan Northwest, Olorunsogo, Ona Ara and Ibadan North while the APC won in Irepo, Egbeda, Oluyole, Saki West, Iseyin and Atisbo local government areas as of 10pm when this report was filed.
Collation Officer for Egbeda Local Government Area, Mr Olajide Fashola, said some thugs came with guns and hijacked a lot of election materials, card readers and ballot boxes around 5.30pm on Saturday.
Fashola said there was no victim among INEC officials in the area. He said quick intervention of security officials put the situation under control.
Meanwhile, candidate of APC in Oyo South Senatorial District, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, has lost in four of the six local government areas declared so far by INEC.
The state governor lost to his rival, Mr Kola Balogun of PDP.
As of the time of filing this report, results announced by Collation Officer for the poll, Mr Kolawole Akinsola, PDP floored APC in four local governments.
In the Ibadan North-West LGA, PDP polled 12,144 votes, beating APC and African Democratic Party which recorded 8,916 votes and 5,819 respectively. PDP also won in Ibadan North with 18,690 ahead of APC which scored 17,947 while ADC came third with 10,202 votes.
In Ibarapa North, PDP recorded 8,083 votes to edge out the APC which polled 5,837 while ADC gathered 2,536 votes. PDP equally emerged winner in Ibarapa East with 9,982 votes, beating APC to second position with 6,951 votes while ADC secured 3,670.
However, APC won in Ido and Ibarapa Central LGAs. In Ido, APC polled 8,108 votes to beat PDP, which recorded 8,108 votes to come second. ADC came third with 5,265 votes. APC got 7,147 votes in Ibarapa Central, winning PDP and ADC which polled 6,577 and 1,475 respectively.
Results of the three remaining local government areas that constitute the senatorial districts were being awaited as of the time of filing this report.
Punch