Out of the 100 senatorial seats declared so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC), has simple majority seats of 57 while other political parties trail behind. TAIYE ODEWALE reports
Composition of the Senate
As provided for by 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, there are 109 senatorial districts across the country on the basis of three per each of the 36 states of the federation and the remaining one for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, Abuja).
In filling the 109 seats in the red chamber ahead of the 10th Senate in June this year, INEC, penultimate Saturday, conducted election for that purpose for candidates of the various political parties.
Results of the election which was conducted simultaneously with the Presidential election and 360 federal constituencies of the House of Representatives, have been substantially released with APC having 57 seats, followed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 32, Labour Party (LP) 6, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 2, Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) 1 and Young Progressives Party (YPP) 1.
Winners on state by state basis
As announced by appointed returning officers of INEC from Sunday, February 26, 2023 to Saturday, March 4, 2023, at collation centres across the states, the winners of each of the senatorial seat on state by state basis, are as follows:
Senators Orji Uzor Kalu, (APC Abia North), Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA Abia South) and Darlington Nwokocha (LP Abia Central).
In Adamawa state, while Senator Elisha Abbo secured re – election on the platform of APC for Adamawa North Senatorial District, Senator Binos Yareo, did same for Adamawa South on the platform of PDP and Iya Abbas won Adamawa Central senatorial district on the ticket of PDP.
The same scenario played out in Akwa Ibom state with Senator Godswill Akpabio winning Akwa Ibom Northwest senatorial district on the platform of APC while the two other seats i.e , Akwa Ibom Northwest and Akwa Ibom South, were won by Aniekan Bassey and Ekong Sampson respectively on the platform of PDP.
In Anambra state, political hurricane of Labour Party (LP), played out in Anambra Central and North senatorial districts with victories of Senator Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye while Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), retained his Anambra South senatorial seat
In Bauchi state, majority leader in the 7th Senate, Abdul Ningi, won the Bauchi Central senatorial seat with PDP ticket along with Kaila Dahuwa Samiala who won the Bauchi North senatorial seats on the platform of PDP, leaving the Bauchi South Senatorial seat for Shehu Buba of the APC to clinch.
In Bayelsa state, only two results have been officially declared, won by PDP candidates in persons of former governor of the state, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson for Bayelsa West and Chief Benson Agadaga for Bayelsa East while result for Bayelsa Central is yet to be declared.
Scenario of two against one, played out in Benue state with candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) i .e , Emmanuel Udende and Titus Zam, wining Benue NorthEast and North West respectively, while Senator Abba Moro of PDP retained his representation of Benue South.
Similar scenario of two to one played out in Cross River with the duo of Williams Eteng Jonah and Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr., winning the Central and South senatorial districts in the state while Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe of the PDP, in what can be described as giant – killing victory, won the Cross River North senatorial district against the sitting governor of the state, Ben Ayade, who contested on the platform of APC.
Scenario of two seats to one, also happened in Delta state between APC and PDP. Ede Dafinoe of APC won the Delta Central senatorial district along with Thomas Joel Onowakpo who won the Delta South while Ned Nwoko of PDP won the remaining Delta North senatorial district.
It was a clean sweep for APC in Ebonyi state with the incumbent governor, David Umahi, winning Ebonyi South, followed by Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi who defeated former governor of the state, Sam Egwu of the PDP to win Ebonyi North Senatorial district and Ken Eze wrapping it up for APC with Ebonyi Central senatorial district.
In Edo state, APC candidates also created upsets by clinching Edo North and Edo Central senatorial districts from PDP candidates with Adams Oshiomhole winning Edo North and Monday Okpebholo winning Edo Edo Central while Neda Imasuen of the Labour Party, won Edo South.
It was total sweep for APC candidates in Ekiti state with Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele winning the Central senatorial district, Cyril Fasuyi, Ekiti North and Yemi Adaramodu, Ekiti South.
Two out of the three senatorial districts results released by INEC in Enugu state, shows Okey Eze of Labour Party winning Enugu North while Osita Ngwu of PDP, won Enugu west. Election for Enugu East senatorial district will hold this Saturday, along with that of gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections.
The Peter Obi tsunami, gave the only senatorial seat in FCT to Ireti Kingibe of Labour party while PDP cleared two seats in Gombe with Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo clinching the Gombe North senatorial seat, Anthony Siyaku Yaro, Gombe South and Mohammed Danjuma Goje, Gombe Central Senatorial seat on the platform of APC.
The only result for senatorial seat declared in Imo state was won by APC, Osita Izunaso, Imo West, APC also cleared two out of three senatorial seats in Jigawa state with Babangida Husaini winning Jigawa Northwest, Ahmed Abdul Hamid winning Jigawa Northeast while Mustapha Khabib of PDP, won Jigawa Central senatorial seat.
It was, however, a clean sweep for PDP in Kaduna state with Lawal Adamu Usman, clinching the Central senatorial seat, Sunday Katung, the North and Khalid Ibrahim, Kaduna North.
Hurricane of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), uprooted two out of three senatorial seats hitherto occupied by APC Senators. The two uprooted senatorial seats are Kano South where Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila defeated Ibrahim Gaya and Kano Central where the party despite not having candidate, was declared winner. Senator Jibrin Barau of the APC however retained his Kano North Senatorial seat.
APC had clean sweep in Katsina State with Abdulaziz Yar’adua winnibg the Katsina Central seat, Nasir Zangon-Daura, the North and Muntari Dandutse, Katsina South.
The two seats declared so far in Kebbi state, were won by PDP Candidates who area Adamu Aliero, Kebbi Central and Alhaji Garba Musa Maidoki, Kebbi South while Kebbi North election, was declared inconclusive.
APC had clean sweep in Kogi, Kwara and Lagos states with Senators Jibrin Isah Echocho, Kogi East, Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere, Kogi Central, Sunday Karimi, Kogi West, Oyetola Ashiru, Kwara South,
Mallam Saliu Mustapha, Kwara Central, Umar Sadiq, Kwara North, diat Adebule, Lagos West, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, Lagos Central and Tokunbo Abiru, Lagos East.
Candidates of Social Democratic Party (SDP), made impact in Nasarawa state by winning two seats who are Aliyu Ahmed Wadada, Nasarawa West and Godiya Akwashiki Nasarawa North while Nasarawa South was won by Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo of PDP.
In similar development, the North Central Zonal Coordinator, GA, Mrs E.O. Orukpe, said: “As you are all aware, these elections were adjudged to be filled with many irregularities, unfair and
not credible by various local and international independent election monitoring bodies and
observers.
“We condemn the intimidation, harassment and that was associated with the election. This act is unacceptable and goes against the very principles of democracy. We call upon the president, INEC Chair and the Commission executives with all leaders, both political
and non-political a VMctors, Civil Societies organizations to put aside their personal interests and work together to find a solution to this problem.”, Nasarawa West and Godiya Akwashiki Nasarawa North while Nasarawa South was won by Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo of PDP.
In Niger state, Peter Ndalikali of PDP, won the Southern senatorial district of the state while Senator Sani Musa of APC populary known as 313, won the Eastern senatorial district of the state and the governor of the state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, won the Northern Senatorial district of the state.
In Ondo and Ogun, APC cleared all the six senatorial seats with Jimoh Ibrahim, Ondo South, Pastor Jide Ipinsagba, Ondo North,
Adeniyi Adegbonmire, Ondo Central, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Ogun East, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, Ogun West and Shuaibu Afolabi Salisu, Ogun Central.
It was a clean sweep for PDP in Osun state with Olubiyi Fadeyi, winning the Osun Central Senatorial seat, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, retaining the Osun East Senatorial seat and Adelere Oyewumi winning the Osun West Senatorial seat .
Reverse was however the case in Oyo State where APC had a clean sweep Senator Fatai Buhari retaining the Oyo North Senatorial seat, Yinus Akintunde, Oyo Central and Sharafadeen Alli, Oyo South Senatorial seat.
In Plateau state, PDP won the two senatorial seats declared so far , in person of Simon Mwadkwon, Plateau North and (AVM) Napoleon Bali, Plateau South.
No results yet from any of the three senatorial seats in Sokoto state while PDP and APC shared the two declared in Taraba state so far who are Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau, Taraba North and David Jimkuta,Taraba South.
The four seats declared In Yobe and Zamfara states so far, were won by APC candidates who are , Ahmad Lawan, Yobe North, Ibrahim Gaidam, Yobe East, Abdulaziz Yari, Zamfara West and Senator Sahabi Yau, Zamfara North.
