—Tight security in Lagos, peace and orderliness nationwide
By Sidi A. Umar, Sokoto; Jerry Uwah, Lagos; AbdulRaheem Aodu, Kaduna; Iyalla Adaye, Port Harcourt; Agboola Bayo, Ibadan, and Raphael Ede, Enugu
Peace, orderliness and a seeming sense of unity pervaded the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for the election of governorship candidates in the February 2015 general election that took place nationwide yesterday.
While result from many states were unavailable as at press time last night, some winners had begun to emerge.
While the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, was elected the Sokoto state candidate under the platform of the party, Hon. (Dr) Dakuku Adol-Peterside won in Rivers, Governor Abiola Ajimobi won in Oyo state, and Chief Okey Ezea emerged as the candidate for Enugu state.
In Kaduna state, as at press time, one of the two leading candidates – Hon. Isa Ashiru and Malam Nasir El-Rufai – was expected to win the poll.
SOKOTO
Announcing the election result in Sokoto, the chairman of the party’s electoral panel in the state, Hon. Khalil Bolaji, said Aminu Tambuwal polled 3,466 votes to defeat Senator Umaru Dahiru Tambuwal, who scored 23 votes.
Alhaji Yusha’u Kebbe got 13 votes while Alhaji Aliyu Sanyinna and Prof. Bashir got no votes.
Bolaji said 3,569 delegates were accredited for the poll while 3,513 were the total valid votes cast and 10 votes were invalid.
The peaceful conduct of the exercise, was marred when the Speaker’s closest opponent in the election, Senator Tambuwal, gave a dirty slap to a member of the House of Representatives, Isah Salihu Bashar Kalanjeni who represents Tangaza/Gudu federal constituency, following an arguement that ensued between them over an undisclosed disagreement.
The mild drama occurred when the Senator, who was on a queue to cast his vote, suddenly dashed to the lawmaker and slapped him.
Security agents and officials had to move in quickly to calm the situation before normalcy returned at the Giginya memorial stadium, venue of the election.
LAGOS
Onikan Stadium, Lagos, witnessed tight security for the APC primaries.
Security agents screened the candidates adequately before they took the seats allocated to their various local government areas.
The delegates were accredited based on 20 local governments while aspirants arrived the venue by 12 noon.
Governorship aspirants already at the venue at the time of this report were Olasupo Sasore, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Dr Leke Pitan, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Dr Kadri Hamzat, Lanre Ope, Dr Tola Kasali, Abayomi Sutton, and Tobun-Agbesanwa.
Other APC leaders at the venue were state chairman of the party, Chief Henry Ajomale, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, Olufemi Pedro, Gbenga Ashafa, Abiodun Ogunleye, Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo, and Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, among others, while the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, was at the venue to supervise his men as they maintained security.
More than 6,000 accredited delegates of the APC thronged the stadium to cast their votes to elect the party’s gubernatorial candidate out of 13 aspirants.
Armoured personnel carriers, sniffer dogs, binoculars and hundreds of policemen and soldiers were deployed to maintain security.
The process caused a long queue and traffic gridlock around the stadium as some delegates could not gain entrance into the stadium until at about 1 p.m.
Though security personnel tried to restrict entrance to accredited delegates and journalists, some party faithful forced their way into the venue.
Some aspirants left the venue soon after the voting process commenced at about 2 p.m.
Though it was not clear why they left, there was a notion suggesting a walk-out of the race.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Obafemi Hamzat, former Attorney General of the state, Supo Sasore, former Commissioner for Special Duties, Tola Kasali, and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, were among those who left.
At about mid-day, the aspirants started arriving in batches, acknowledging cheers from their supporters.
Supo Sasore looked calm in a black shirt, grey trousers and a red APC face cap, while white lace seemed to be the preferred choice of Obafemi Hamzat, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Tayo Ayinde, Tola Kasali, Tokunbo Wahab and Leke Pitan.
The only female aspirant, Adetokunbo Tobun-Adegbunwa, was dressed in a blue stripped shirt and blue trousers with a black face cap.
Some delegates from Epe and Ibeju Lekki, who spoke shortly after casting their votes, were confident that Ambode would emerge victorious at the end of the exercise.
In his goodwill message, National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urged the aspirants to accept the outcome of the primary.
In a message delivered by the publicity secretary of the party in the state, Joe Igbokwe, Tinubu praised the aspirants for carrying out their campaign without castigating one another.
He said, “I am proud of how you campaigned. You have done so by trying to sell your vision and not by tearing each other down. You have competed fairly and honestly, yet have remained brothers throughout. This is as it should and must be. Even after today… we must continue in this same spirit.
“When I met with all of you some time ago, you spoke of the need to have a fair democratic process in selecting the flag bearer. Today you have that process”.
Tinubu, however, reminded them that only one winner was bound to emerge at the conclusion of the process.
KADUNA
In Kaduna, the primary was going on smoothly and in an orderly manner at the Kaduna International Trade Fair Complex along Kaduna – Zaria road as at the time of filing this report last night.
Delegates were seen exercising their franchise in an orderly manner after due screening.
The venue was manned by heavily armed security operatives who ensured that there was no breakdown of law and order.
The state Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu, visited the venue to observe the primary before departing the complex. There was no report of any crisis.
Only one of the aspirants, Hon. Isa Ashiru, was on ground waiting for the election results after casting his vote as a special delegate due to his position as incumbent member of the House of Representatives representing Kudan/Makarfi constituency.
Other aspirants also awaited their turn to cast their votes.
So far, the voting was going on transparently as journalists, aspirants’ agents and party officials from state and national headquarters observed it.
As at the time of filing this report, delegates from Zone III (Southern Kaduna Senatorial district) had completed their voting, while those from Zone I (Northern Senatorial district) were casting their votes, and those from Zone II (Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone) were patiently waiting.
Chairman of the APC state House of Assembly and governorship primaries for Kaduna state, Prince Ekenyem Nwafor, appealed to delegates to be orderly to ensure smooth election.
When asked what the total number of expected delegates would be, he said he could not authenticate it until after the voting.
He assured that the total number of delegates, actual valid votes among others, would be made known at the end of the election.
Meanwhile, the venue where delegates are waiting to be screened had been turned into a mini market as petty traders were busy attending to delegates who were purchasing essential items ranging from clothing to cooked foodstuff and drinks.
RIVERS
From Port harcourt, the Rivers state capital, our correspondent reports that Hon. (Dr) Dakuku Adol-Peterside, from the Rivers South-East Senatorial District emerged the gubernatorial flagbearer of the APC for the 2015 general elections.
Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who doubles as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, posited that equity, natural justice and fair judgement were the salient criteria used in electing Adol-Peterside.
Amaechi stated this during the primary election held at the main bowl of the Alfred Diette-Spiff Complex in Port Harcourt.
He maintained that the Rivers West Senatorial district and the Rivers East Senatorial district had taken their gubernatorial zoning slots in years past, as such equity must reign supreme in ensuring that the governor after him comes from the South-East Senatorial zone.
“Rivers West Senatorial district and Rivers East Senatorial district have taken their slots, and now, equity demands that it should go to Rivers South-East Senatorial district,” Amaechi said.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state had earlier agreed that the governorship slot should go to Hon. (Dr) Dakuku Adol-Peterside.
“From today, I will continue to be in the front of Hon. (Dr.) Dakuku Adol-Peterside until all elections are concluded.
“My joy is that, today, we have shown the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that there can be another popular party in Rivers state. In the last elections in 2011, we gave the PDP over 1.8 million votes. This time, we challenge them to come and get such votes again, let us see. This is the time to prove our point.
“Our delegates for this gubernatorial primary election are 4,574. This is an opportunity to ensure that we do not suffer any longer.”
The APC leader in the state also commended Senator Magnus Abe and his deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru, for their sterling qualities and useful contributions to his administration, urging them to remain steadfast and committed to the party.
“That does not mean that one of my bosom friends, Senator Magnus Abe, is not qualified. There are two distincts Rivers people I respect so much because of their intellect. They are Senator Magnus Abe and Odein Ajumogobia, SAN, but it is unfortunate Ajumogobia will not be allowed to win the PDP guber primaries.
“In the same way, I have mentioned that the Deputy Governor, Engineer Tele, is also qualified. With my deputy, I have never watched my back. If I am overseas or in London, and I call him to handle some assignments, he has been doing well beyond my expectations. He is a man of due process.”
The governor equally explained that the choice of Adol-Peterside was hinged on the struggle for the return of the Soku oil wells that were bequeathed to Bayelsa state, and the Etche oil well given to Abia state, masterminded by the federal government.
“We have suffered long in the hands of the federal government. All the oil wells in Soku, owned by the Kalabari people, have been taken away to Bayelsa state, and that of Etche to Abia state. We will fight with everything to deliver APC in the 2015 general elections.
“As APC faithful, I expect all of us to have Soku and Etche oil wells at the back of our minds. The oil wells belong to our people. When I leave office, I expect the next governor to continue the struggle for the return of the oil wells to our people, the Rivers people.”
The governor tasked the military and the police that will be deployed to monitor the 2015 general elections in the state to be neutral and ensure the protection of lives and property.
Amaechi advised them not to be partisan in politics as such attempt could be regarded as an act of impunity against civilians.
“I hear the PDP and the federal government are planning to use the military and the police to stop me from moving around during the 2015 general elections. I am the chief security officer of the state and if they stop me, you will see what will happen.
“The duty of the military and the police during elections is to ensure protection of lives and property.”
He further commended stakeholders and party faithful for choosing and giving automatic tickets to state assembly members in the APC and advised those who lost out to remain steadfast in moving the party forward.
Amaechi used the opportunity to urge Rivers people to foster a free, fair and credible election in 2015, adding that their Permanent Voters Card is key in choosing credible candidates.
Earlier, the chairman of the APC governorship primary election, Prince Austin Nweke, had thanked the governor and the party faithful for making it easy for the panel to conduct the primaries in an atmosphere devoid of rancour and acrimony.
“What Governor Amaechi and you, the APC supporters, have done is a new step that has ushered in peace and harmony in the state,” he said, adding, “Without your earlier decision, it would have been difficult to conduct the guber primaries.
“Some APC states have over 18 guber aspirants, but this committee or panel is overwhelmed by the decision taken by Governor Amaechi and the party. We are at a new level.”
OYO
In Oyo state, it was Governor Abiola Ajimobi who emerged the APC governorship candidate for the 2015 poll.
The governor beat a son of the former governor of the state, the late Alhaji Lamidi Adesina, Dr. Wasiu Ayobami Adesina, to emerge winner of the primary held at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
The primary election, which started at 3.05 p.m., was held amidst heavy security presence of men of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force and was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking at the venue of the election, the chairman of the five-man state electoral committee, Hon. Lumumba Adeh, urged all stakeholders in the party to ensure the success of the exercise.
Adeh stressed that though three aspirants were cleared for the election, only two of them, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Dr. Ayobami Adeshina, would be participating in the primary as the third aspirant, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, had filed a petition against the party on the planned conduct of the primary.
A total of 4,776 delegates from the 33 local government areas of the state voted at the election.
ENUGU
Also yesterday, Chief Okey Ezea emerged as the APC governorship candidate for Enugu state.
The shipping magnate defeated three other aspirants to pick the nomination ticket during the primary held at the state head office locatede at Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu.
There were initially four aspirants but one of them, Dr. Ifeanyi Asogwa, pulled out at the last minute to join the race for the Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency for the House of Representatives election.
Other aspirants tactically withdrew their aspiration for Ezea at the last minute and he emerged through affirmative vote.
Ezea has been itching to occupy the state Government House, the Lion Building, since 2007, all to no avail. He had contested under the PPA in 2007 against Sullivan Chime, who won, and repeated the attempt in 2011 under the Labour Party. Today he is gunning for the post under the APC.
Ezea, who was so happy over his victory yesterday, promised to transform Enugu state when he eventually wins the governorship by ensuring that he creates jobs for the youth.
He also promised to provide free education, free hospital services and ensure accountable government that would tell the people how their money is being spent.
The candidate regretted that the ruling party, the PDP, after 15 and half years in the leadership of this country, has failed the people, stressing that now is the time to change for the better.
“Our job is simple because PDP has failed,” he said. “If PDP has shame, they will not be going about asking people to vote for them again.
“Between 2007 and now, Enugu state has gotten N544 billion, whereas several billions were also allocated to the local governments from the federation account without much to show for it.”
Fielding questions from journalists, Ezea explained that the problem of Enugu is not paucity of funds but that of mismanagement.
The state chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, told journalists that the primaries went well and that nobody was hoodwinked into stepping down for Ezea.
He disclosed that there was a gentleman agreement.