The Peoples Democratic Party PDP Presidential aspirant in Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike lost to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a closely contested Presidential Primary election organized by PDP held at Abuja the Federal Capital Territory. Factors that made Wike to lose with 237 votes to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the winner with 371 votes may not be unconnected with his lack of decorum and tacitly practice by having a harmonious relationship with Southern Governors and the delegates. First is the fact that Edo State who he installed into office with his state’s resources fell out with him, Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel was a contestant but because of how Wike destabilized PDP in Neighbouring Cross Rivers State brought him down. In his own Rivers State where he cursed Ijaw people inside Saint Paul’s Anglican Church podium “Thunder Fire You” referring to Ijaw ethnic nationality who asked him to release one of their sons Dr. Farah Dagogo aspirants to Rivers State PDP Governorship candidate position. The Ebonyi State Governor Engr. David Umahi had discrepancies with Wike which delegates under David Umahi before his defection to APC never forgave Wike. All the above factors and sundry dislike with his mannerisms and lack of respect for Peoples culture and tradition caused Wike the elusive Presidential ticket of PDP.
He miscalculated for preventing Dr. Farah Dagogo from being screened as a governorship aspirant with Bayelsa State being the heart of Izon nation in Nigeria is the 4th ethnic nationality in Nigeria spreading from Cross River to Lagos State where Ilage Ijaws dominate the waterways and coastal communities in Edo State, Ondo State up to Lagos State matters most. Even at Port Harcourt where majority of the Northern communities reside and do business their common areas of doing businesses have been demolished including their worship edifices. Slaughter Woji Hausa community and Trailer Park at Eleme all have been demolished without serious new plans being put in place to assuage the feelings of the former occupants who have relocated to their various states in Northern Nigeria and their kits and kins who are PDP delegates from Northern Nigeria cannot forget in a hurry all the above. Worst still is the video that went viral about how Gov. Wike insulted a traditional Ruler in his state addressing him as a small boy who wears “Dan Sokoto Cloth and Uthman dan Fodio cap”. Such derogatory hate speech is a minus for a Presidential aspirant who wants political power to control all ethnic nationalities and religious groups in Nigeria.
Yes, Abia State Governor and his Enugu State counterpart support Rivers State Governor Wike that helped him a bit in garnering much electoral fortunes which didn’t out stage that of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar whose luck Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal propped up by withdrawing from the race and asked his supporters to vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Whether Governor Aminu Tambuwal was right or wrong to have made that last-minute campaign is immaterial but the result is a game changer for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who would have been embarrassed by the defeat from a political toddler like Rivers State Governor Wike. It could have been a sweet revenge by Atiku’s defeat of Aminu Tambuwal at Port Harcourt in 2019 at his Homefront Port Harcourt.
Worst still is how the Rivers State Governor removed former national chairman of PDP Prince Uche Secondus who is an Ijaw by ethnic nationality. It never went down well with majority of the Ijwa people who saw the abrupt termination of the tenure of Prince Uche Secondus as an affront to the good people of Ijaw ethnic group anywhere that they are in Nigeria.
APC SENATORS AND REPS MEMBERS WHO WON & LOST
The APC primary election may have been held many days ago, but it is still one of the most talked about political subjects in the country today. The winners are still basking in the euphoria of their hard earned victories while the losers are licking their wounds, prepared to go back to the drawing board. The following is a comprehensive list of the APC Lawmakers who lost their seats at the just concluded primary election. Former Lagos APC Secretary Lanre Ogunyemi got 28 votes to beat his nearest rival and former Chairman of Otto-Awori Local Council Development Area, Kayode Roberts with 14 votes. Prince Kayode Moshood Akiolu, lawmaker representing Lagos Island Federal Constituency 2 defeated Saheed Adegboyega Salawe, with 34 votes to 16 votes. It was a double loss as former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro lost the Lagos West Senatorial District ticket to former Deputy Governor Dr. Idiat Adebule.
His son, Babajide Obanikoro, an incumbent House of Representatives member, was defeated by Oba Saheed Elegushi of Kate’s brother, Oyekanmi Elegushi with two votes for the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency 1. Elegushi polled 25 votes while Obanikoro garnered 23 votes. Senator Obanikoro angrily left Agege Stadium’s venue of the Lagos West Senatorial District Primary Election after his votes were counted.
Dr. Adebule, a grassroots mobilizer, inflicted a heavy defeat on him. She polled 424 votes while Obanikoro had 119 votes. For Lagos Central Senatorial District, Deputy Lagos Speaker Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, scored 185 delegate votes to beat his closest rival and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Ademola Seriki who got 94 votes.
Senator Tokunbo Abiru won the Lagos East Senatorial District ticket. Ogbara Kafilat, a former commissioner of the Lagos State Audit Service Commission polled 44 votes to beat her closest opponent who scored one vote. She defeated the incumbent Hon.Rotimi Agunsoye.
Former two-term Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairman and ex-aide of Lagos Governor Benjamin Olabinjo defeated the incumbent, James Adisa Owolabi to claim the Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency ticket. BAO, as Olabinjo is fondly called polled 35 votes to Owolabi’s two; a lawmaker Saka Fafunmi got 14 votes while Adekunle Olayinka secured four votes.
BARAU, GAYA, ZAURA WIN TICKETS IN KANO
The Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriations, Barau Jibrin and Chairman Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Kabiru Gaya, have won their return tickets on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
They are for Kano North and South senatorial zones.
Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura emerged winner of the Kano Central zone respectively.
Barau emerged the winner unopposed after the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, withdrew from the contest and endorsed him to return to the red chamber.
Gaya also emerged unopposed after his only challenger, Kawu Sumaila, dumped the party for New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
But the Kano Central senatorial primary poll had a twist, first with the withdrawal of a former Youth Leader of APC, Ismaeel Ahmed, few minutes before the election began leaving the contest between Senator Basheer Lado, who was hoping to return to the red chamber after an eight-year hiatus and Zaura, who earlier attempted to contest for the governorship of the state.
At the end of the election, Zaura polled 758 votes to defeat Lado who polled only 70 votes.
GOV. ABIODUN PROMISES TO COMPENSATE THOSE WHO DIDN’T GET PARTY TICKETS
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has recently appealed to those who lost in the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections held across the state to remain calm and take the outcome of the elections in good spirit.
This is just as he promised that they would be duly compensated for their show of sportsmanship.
Abiodun made the promise a few days back at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta, while addressing members of the State Executive Committee of the party, secretariat staff and some party faithful, to commemorate his 62 birthday and third year in office.
The governor, who recalled his experiences while seeking political office, said he had contested several elections and lost, explaining that as far as the recent primary elections and lost.
He declared that in the recent primaries, there were no winners or losers.
Abiodun said: “We had about 180 people who aspired to go to the House of Assembly, 80 aspired to go to the House of Representatives and I am not even sure of the number of those who wanted to go to the Senate. Of course, out of those who contested, we had those who were serious and those who were obviously comedians.
“I am not an emperor by any chance and this is not my family inheritance. I am holding this position in trust for all the people of this state and I have vowed to be fair, just and equitable this is the solemn agreement I made between the Almighty God and myself.
“To that extent, I have tried in every way to find a consensus around those to be chosen. I ensured that I consulted the party leadership because this is a democracy. In some instances, the person I actually wanted has not emerged and in some instances, they have, but all of us would not emerge. Regardless of that, I want us to see ourselves as winners and I can assure you that you will be well taken care of.”
Abiodun assured that his government would continue to prioritise the welfare of the people by ensuring that programmes and policies are people-oriented.
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