Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday started the announcement of results of governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections held in the country on Saturday.

Results released so far revealed some surprises and upsets across the country. For instance, ruling All Progressives Congress in Oyo State lost the governorship poll to Peoples Democratic Party. APC candidate, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, backed by incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi, lost scandalously to his PDP’s counterpart, Seyi Makinde, with a margin of 157,635 votes. While Makinde polled 515,621 votes, Adelabu came second with 357,982 votes.

Also, as it was during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State where incumbent Senate President, Bukola Saraki, lost his bid to return to the Senate, his party lost all elective positions in the March 9 polls.

Kwara State APC governorship candidate, Mr Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, swept the poll to beat his PDP counterpart, Mr Abdulrazak Atunwa, with a margin of 216,792 votes.

Also, APC governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, won a landslide victory over his closest rival, Mr Jimi Agbaje of PDP. Observers had expected Agbaje to give Sanwo-Olu a run for his money, but this was not to be as the political machinery of national leader of APC, Mr Bola Tinubu that backed the new comer was too much for Agbaje.

PDP candidate was beaten with over 500,000 votes.

But as people of Rivers State were waiting for the outcome of the polls, INEC announced suspension of the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state till further notice.

It cited violence that marred the exercise as reason for its actions.

Protest from national headquarters of PDP is, however, trailing the electoral umpire’s decision.

However, INEC had declared winners in some of the 29 states where the governorship poll was conducted on Saturday as of the time of filing this report this morning. These states include Lagos, Kwara, Gombe, Enugu, Oyo, Abia, Kebbi, Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Niger.

Other states where the results have not been fully released include Benue, Nasarawa, Sokoto.

But the results so far declared have  stirred protest as opposition parties in some states rejected the outcome citing vote-buying, supporters’ harassment and alleged bias by the electoral umpire and the security agencies as reasons.

INEC declares Sanwo-Olu as new Lagos governor

INEC on Sunday declared the APC candidate, Sanwo-Olu, as winner of the March 9 governorship election held in the state on Saturday.

Sanwo-Olu, who scored 739,445 out of the 977,476 total valid votes in the election, defeated 44 other candidates to emerge as the governor-elect in the state.

The candidate of PDP in the election, Agbaje, polled the second highest votes in the election with 206,141 votes.

Declaring the result of the election at the state collation centre in Yaba at about 8.40pm on Sunday, the state Returning Officer, Mr Eyitope Ogunbodede, said Sanwo-Olu, scored the highest number of votes to win the election.

Ogunbodede, who is Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, said, “That Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, of All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared winner and is returned elected.”

He said the number of registered voters was 6,505,512; number of accredited voters was 1,006,074; total number of votes cast was 998,715, rejected votes was 21,239, while the total number of valid votes was 977,476.

Ogunmodede pointed out that 31 party agents signed the result sheet.

Sanwo-Olu thanked residents of the state for electing him in the March 9 governorship election.

Addressing party stakeholders in Ikeja after he was declared winner by INEC, Sanwo-Olu said he was honoured by the overwhelming support of residents.

He said though “the victory carries my name,” his success in the election was actually victory for all residents.

Sanwo-Olu said he viewed the mandate given to him as a call to service to improve the lives of the people.

“I accept the mandate given to me and I understand that it bestows the most profound honour and sober responsibility on me. I thank and commend those who contributed to this campaign. You have laboured and toiled countless hours and done so much.

“You have exerted yourself not just for me but because you believe in the vision that we share.

“You are too numerous to name at this time; in the next few days, I wish to personally thank each one of you for this progressive and collective efforts.

“Most of all, I must commend the voters and honour them; though this victory bears my name, the victory actually belongs to you dear Lagosians,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National Leader, Mr Bola Tinubu, and the party National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, for believing in his vision.

He said he would not disappoint those who had invested their trust in him, as he was focused on development.

He faulted what he called unhealthy statements and actions made by some of his rivals before the election.

Sanwo-Olu said some of the statements and actions were capable of causing disunity in the state and affecting peaceful co-existence.

He said it was time for all to put the pre-election politics aside and join him in efforts to birth a better Lagos.

APC’s Abdulrazaq wins Kwara gov poll

In Kwara State, APC governorship candidate, Abdulrazaq, has been declared winner of the governorship election.

Declaring the results of the poll on Sunday, the state Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Mr Muhammad Liman, said Abdulrazaq polled 331,546 votes to emerge as winner of the election.

His PDP counterpart, Atunwa, polled 114,754 votes to emerge as runner-up.

From the official results declared in all the 16 LGAs in the state, Abdulrazaq led Atunwa with a margin of 216,792 votes.

Also, APC beat PDP in all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state and thus won all the seats in the state House of Assembly.

Though PDP boycotted the venue where the result was announced, Saraki later congratulated Kwara State Governor-elect, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, on his victory at the poll.

Saraki also congratulated the people of the state for coming out to exercise their franchise.

The Senate President wrote, “I thank all Kwarans, particularly PDP supporters, who worked for the party in the just-concluded elections. My congratulations go to Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq and all those who emerged at all levels. I wish them all the best.”

PDP’s Makinde floors APC’s Adelabu in Oyo

Also, PDP’s candidate in Oyo State, Makinde, was declared elected by INEC’s Returning Officer, Mr Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, having polled the highest number of votes in the election.

Ogundipe is Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos.

While Makinde secured 515,621 votes, his closest contestant, Adelabu of the APC, came second with 357,982 votes. Makinde led with 157,635 votes.

The results showed that out of the 33 LGAs in the state, Makinde won in 28 councils, including that of his rival’s, while Adelabu won in five LGAs.

While announcing the winner, Ogundipe said, “I state that Seyi Makinde of PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared winner and is returned elected.”

Ogundipe put the number of registered voters at 2,934,107 out of which 940,211 voters were accredited. Total valid votes were 916,860; total rejected votes, 20,688; while total votes cast stood at 937,545.

Meanwhile, out of the 32 seats in the state House of Assembly, PDP won 25 seats, APC secured five seats while Action Democratic Party got one.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Mutiu Agboke, who made the disclosure, stated that the commission was fair to all political parties.

He said the commission resisted intimidation from some quarters in respect of the polls, adding that “INEC will continue to do the right thing at the right time in the best interest of voters.”

However, there was palpable fear around Ibadan in the wake of the killing of a House of Representatives member from Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency, Mr Temitope Olatoye, aka Sugar.

As of 9pm on Sunday, our correspondents observed that the roads had been deserted as residents stayed indoors.

Earlier on Sunday, rumours were rife that the wife of a National Union of Road Transport Workers leader, Lamidi Mukaila, aka Auxiliary, was killed, but Oyo State Police Command spokesperson, Mr Fadeyi Olugbenga, dispelled the rumours.

He said it was an attempt to heat up the already tensed polity, urging the people to be calm.

APC’s Dapo Abiodun wins Ogun gov

Meanwhile, governorship candidate of APC in Ogun State, Mr Dapo Abiodun, has emerged winner of the 2019 governorship.

The Returning Officer, Mr Idowu Olayinka, who announced the result and declared Abiodun winner, said the APC governorship candidate polled 241,670 votes to defeat candidate of Allied Peoples Movement, Mr Adekunle Akinlade, who scored 222,153, leaving a margin of 19,517 votes.

Olayinka, who is also Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, said APC won in 11 of the 20 Local Government Areas, while APM had six LGAs.

Ugwuanyi triumphs over Ayogu Eze, wins Enugu gov poll

In Enugu State, incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi of PDP also won his re-election bid as he beat his opponents to win the governorship poll. Ugwuanyi cleared all the 17 Local Government Areas results.

Announcing the results, the state Returning Officer, who is also Vice-Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Mr Joseph Ahaneku, said PDP candidate polled 449,935 to defeat the APC’s Ayogu Eze who polled 10,423 to come a distant second.

Our correspondents reported that the results of the 17 LGAs as announced by Ahaneku showed that PDP polled over 98 per cent of the total votes in the election.

Ahaneku noted that though the total accredited voters was 478,241, it was less than 30 per cent of the total registered voters in the state which, he said, stood at 1,944,803.

“By the power vested on me, I, Joesph Ahaneku, hereby declare Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of PDP, winner of the March 9, 2019 governorship election held in Enugu State having scored the highest number of votes cast he is hereby returned elected,” he said.

Bagudu wins Kebbi gov poll again

INEC has also declared Governor Atiku Bagudu of APC winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Kebbi State.

The results was announced at the state Collation Centre for the 2019 governorship election by Collation Officer for Governorship and State Assembly Elections, Mr Hamisu Bichi, on Sunday in Birnin Kebbi.

He said Bagudu scored 673,717 votes, while his closest rival, Isah Galaudu of the PDP, polled 106,633 votes.

Bichi said, “Atiku Bagudu of APC, having certified the requirement of the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby returned elected and declared winner of the March 9, Saturday governorship election in the state.”

Bichi said 1,789,975 voters were registered; 820,078 accredited, while 814,084 votes were cast; with 793,388 valid votes and 20,696 votes rejected.

According to the results, Bagudu won in all LGAs of the state.

INEC declares Inuwa Yahaya of APC winner

In Gombe State, Mr Inuwa Yahaya of APC won the state governorship election.

INEC Returning Officer in the state, Mr Saminu Abdulrahaman, who declared the result in Gombe on Sunday, said Yahaya scored 364,179 votes to defeat his closest rival of PDP, Mr Usman Nafada, who polled 222,868 votes and was returned elected.

He said there were 1,394,386 registered voters, 627,457 accredited voters, 608,846 valid votes, 14,384 rejected votes and 623,230 total votes cast.

Abdulrahman, who is also Vice-Chancellor, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, added that Yahaya won in 10 of the 11 LGAs of the state.

Ikpeazu wins Abia gov election, APC, APGA rejects result

Also, the candidate of PDP in Abia State, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu, has been declared winner of the governorship election in the state.

INEC’s Returning Officer, Mr Benjamin Ozumba, who is also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, declared him winner after polling 261,127 to defeat his closest rival and candidate of  the APC, Uche Ogah, who garnered 99,574 votes.

He also announced that the candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance, Alex Otti, polled 64, 366 votes to come third in the election.

Meanwhile, candidates of APC and APGA have called for the cancellation of the election.

Addressing journalists shortly after the results were declared in Umuahia, the state capital, the opposition candidates alleged that INEC breached its guidelines for the conduct of the elections in the state.

In a statement jointly signed by the candidates, they stated that they had expected INEC to cancel results from polling units where votes did not match what was on  the smart card readers, adding that reverse was the case.

The statement partly read, “The results were highly tempered with to favour PDP, even where some of us in the opposition had warned that INEC connived with security agencies to change the result in favour of PDP.

“We reject in totality the results of the 2019 governorship election as announced by INEC and demand its total cancellation in the entire state.”

Badaru wins re-election in Jigawa

Meanwhile, incumbent Governor of Jigawa State, Mr Muhammad Badaru, has won the governorship election in the state.

Returning Officer for the governorship election in Jigawa, Mr Azubike Nwankwo, who is Provost, Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna, declared the result in Dutse on Sunday.

Nwankwo said Badaru, of APC, was returned elected with 810,933 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr Aminu Ringim of the PDP, who scored 288,356 votes, followed by Mr Bashir Adamu of the Social Democratic Party, who got 32,894 votes.

He explained that the total number of registered voters was 2,109,477, accredited voters, 1,169,924, total votes cast, 1,163, 206, while valid votes stood at 1,139,054, and rejected votes, 24,152.

The Returning Officer stated that the election was free and fair, adding that due process was followed before the declaration of the result.

Nwankwo had also announced that the APC won all the 30 seats for the state House of Assembly.

Emmanuel re-elected, wins in A’ Ibom

Meanwhile, governorship candidate of PDP in Akwa Ibom State, Governor Udom Emmanuel, has been re-elected for a second term in office.

Emmanuel secured 519,712 votes and won in the 30 LGAs in the governorship results announced by INEC, while his closest rival and candidate of APC, Mr Nsima Ekere, garnered 171,978 and won only in Essien Udim, which is the LGA of the former Senate Minority Leader, Mr Godswill Akpabio.

Declaring Emmanuel winner at 12.30am on Monday, the state Returning Officer, Mr Faraday Osasere, Vice-Chancellor, University of Benin, Benin, Edo State, said out of the 2,119,727 registered voters in the state, only 720,064 were accredited for the election, while the total vote cast was 712,037.

All other political party agents signed the result sheet with the exception of APC state agent, Mr Sam Akpan, who walked out of the collation centre.

Akpan, however, rejected the results, claiming that they were not a true reflection of the exercise.

He called for the cancellation of the result of the governorship election in the state.

Bello floors Nasko to win re-election in Niger

Also, Niger State Governor, Mr Abubakar Bello, who contested for a second tenure on the ticket of APC, has won the bid, according to the results of the Saturday polls announced by the Returning Officer, Mrs Angela Freeman-Mary.

Freeman-Mary, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State, who announced the result on Sunday in Minna, said Bello won the polls in all the 25 LGAs of the state.

According to the VC, Bello polled 526,412 votes as against Umar Nasko’s 298,065 thereby defeating the PDP candidate with a margin of 228,347 votes.

The result was declared in Minna at about 11pm on Sunday.

Umahi floors Ogbuoji, wins Ebonyi gov poll again

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State of PDP has been declared winner of the state governorship poll.

Returning Officer for the state governorship poll, Mr Frank Chukwuemeka, announced Umahi winner on Sunday in Abakaliki.

According to the result, Umahi polled 393,043 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sonni Ogbuoji of the APC who polled 81,703 votes to emerge winner.

“I, Frank Chukwuemeka, state Returning Officer for Ebonyi State governorship election held on Saturday, March 9, hereby declare candidate of PDP, Mr Dave Umahi, winner of the governorship election having won the highest number of votes cast in the election.

“He has fulfilled the requirements of the law and is hereby declared winner and returned elected,” Chukwuemeka said.

 APC’s Masari wins Katsina gov election

Katsina State Governor, Mr Aminu Masari, has won the governorship poll in all the 34 LGAs of the state announced by INEC on Sunday.

Masari, a former Speaker of House of Representatives, sought re-election for another term of four years on the platform of APC last Saturday.

PDP’s candidate is Mr Yakubu Lado-Danmarke.

In the results announced by the State Returning Officer, Mr Abdullahi Zuru, APC scored 22,482 votes in Dutsi Local Government Area, while the PDP came second with 10,564 votes.

The re-elected governor was awaiting formal declaration of his victory by INEC as of the time of filing this report.

Ortom leads in Benue

Meanwhile, governorship candidate of PDP in Benue State, Mr Samuel Ortom, has won in nine of the 19 LGAs result declared as of the time of filing this report.

 From the result so far announced on Sunday at the state headquarters of INEC in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Ortom scored over 300,000 votes, while his closest rival, Mr Emmanuel Jime of the APC, won in 10 LGAs with a total votes of over 270,000.

 The results of four remaining LGs were being awaited as of the time of filing the report.

APC sweeps Nasarawa gov poll

In Nasarawa State, APC candidate in the governorship election, Mr Abdullahi Sule, has been declared winner by INEC.

APC candidate got 327,229 votes to beat his PDP challenger, David Ombugadu, who came a distant second with 184,281 votes.

The state Returning Officer, Mr Abdullahi Bala, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, declared the result some minutes to 1am on Tuesday.

Tambuwal leads in 12 LGAs

INEC has announced results of 20 out of 23 LGAs of Sokoto State in Saturday’s governorship election.

LGAs Collation Officers announced the results before the state’s Chief Returning Officer, Mrs Fatima Muktar, on Sunday in Sokoto.

Muktar is Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Dutse, FUD, Jigawa State.

In the results declared so far, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of the PDP won in 12 out of the 20 LGAs while APC was leading in eight LGAs.

Mr Tambuwal polled a total of 429,526 votes while Mr Ahmad Aliyu of APC scored 416,082 votes in the declared results from the 20 LGAs received.

However, PDP is leading APC with a margin of 13,444 votes in the results so far declared.

The figure of cancelled votes so far is 50,530 at different polling units across the state based on the results announced.

NEC declares Bauchi gov poll inconclusive

However, the governorship election of Bauchi State has been declared inconclusive.

The Returning Officer for the state, Prof. Mohammed Kyari, made the announcement at exactly 12am on Monday.

He said that total registered voters were 2,323,603, while the accredited voters stood at 1,056,729.

According to him, candidate of PDP, Mr Bala Mohammed, got 469,512 votes to defeat Governor Mohammed Abubabakar of APC, who scored 465, 453 votes.

He added that total valid votes are 1,026,901, number of rejected votes was 21,419 while the number of total votes cast was 1,048,220.

Kyari of Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, said he declared the poll inconclusive because the margin of lead between PDP and APC candidates was 4,059 votes.

He added, “Secondly, the number of cancelled votes even without that of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area which he had earlier cancelled was 45,312.

“Thirdly, the total number of registered voters in the affected areas is 139,240.

“Therefore, based on Section 26 Part 53 of the Electoral Act, I hereby declare this result inconclusive.”

He therefore directed INEC to immediately conduct a re-run in the affected areas within 21 days.

APC leads in Borno, wins 24 declared LGAs results

Candidate of APC, Mr Babagana Zulum, has maintained his lead in the ongoing collation of results of  Saturday’s governorship election in Borno State.

APC candidate won 24 of the 27 LGAs in the ongoing collation exercise at Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, Maiduguri.

The collation exercise presided over by INEC Returning Officer in the state, Mr Alhassan Gali, was conducted smoothly in the presence of party agents, election observers, security agents and journalists.

Results from 24 of the 27 LGAs of the state were submitted for collation by their respective returning officers.

Governorship election results so far collated indicated that Zulum garnered more votes than his closest opponent, Mr Muhammad Imam of PDP.

The results as announced by Returning Officer in charge of Nganzai, Mr Ibrahim  Mustapha, showed that APC candidate scored 20,196 as against the 907 votes scored by PDP candidate.

INEC suspends Rivers polls, PDP fumes

Meanwhile, INEC has suspended the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State till further notice.

The commission premised its action on the widespread disruption of elections and violence.

INEC has, therefore, set up a fact-finding committee to assess the situation and report back within 48 hours.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday by INEC National Commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye.

The statement partly read, “Initial reports suggest that violence occurred in a substantial number of polling units and collation centres, our members of staff have been taken hostage and materials including result sheets have either been seized or destroyed by unauthorised persons.

“In addition, safety of our workers appears to be in jeopardy all over the state and the commission is concerned about the credibility of the process.

“Consequently, at a meeting held today, Sunday, March 10, 2019, the commission has decided to suspend all electoral processes in the state until further notice.

“This is in line with Section 26 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and Clause 47(e) of the regulations and guidelines of the commission.

“The commission has also established a fact-finding committee to assess the situation and report back within 48 hours.”

However, PDP has charged INEC to end what it described as manipulative schemes and immediately declare the result.

The party rejected INEC’s decision to suspend the electoral process in the state, after it claimed that results had been collated.

National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to caution security agencies in the state.

He said, “Our party contends that elections have been concluded in Rivers State; results of the Governorship and House of Assembly polls have been declared at the various polling units, wards and local government collation centres and all returning officers and political parties in the ballot conclusively have the figures.

“It is therefore directly incumbent on INEC to declare the final results instead of deliberately creating openings for the subversion of the final process; a development, which exposes the commission’s complicity with the Buhari Presidency and APC to enmesh the election into unnecessary crisis.”

Punch