IN FULL: Uba Sani, Omo-Agege, Tonye Cole… winners of APC guber tickets

The governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 governorship election are rounding off across states.

In Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun secured the party’s ticket to seek a second term in office.

During the election held at the main bowl of the MKO Abiola Stadium in Kuto, Abeokuta, Wale Ohu, chairperson of the electoral committee, said Abiodun scored 1,168 votes to defeat five other aspirants.

In his acceptance speech, Abiodun promised to continue with the current efforts on infrastructural development in the state.

In a tweet on Thursday, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, one of the aspirants, expressed reservations about the conduct of the exercise.

“For the records, four other aspirants had written to the party to ask for direct rather than delegate election so the people’s real voices can be heard but the party, in its wisdom, decided to conduct indirect primary election,” she wrote.

“While I respect the party’s decision, the process that took place today validates our earlier reservations. That said, I accept the ‘verdict’ and send good wishes to the declared winner, Gov. Dapo Abiodun.”

OMO-AGEGE CLINCHES TICKET FOR DELTA

Ovie Omo-Agege, the deputy senate president, will represent the APC as the governorship candidate for Delta state.

At the primary held at the premises of the Federal College of Education (FCE) in Delta, Omo-Agege polled a total of 1,190 votes and was returned unopposed.

A total of 1,235 accredited delegates participated in the primary.

On his victory, Omo-Agege expressed joy over the smooth conduct of the exercise, and thanked his supporters.

UCHE NNAJI WINS IN ENUGU

In Enugu state, Uche Nnaji, a businessman, secured 1,070 votes out of 1,100 votes cast during the exercise monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In his acceptance speech, the APC governorship candidate appreciated the party delegates for their support and promised not to disappoint them.

Nnaji, who hails from Nkanu west LGA, said if voted, his government will work with the people on finding solutions to challenges facing the state, including security and water.

YAHAYA CLEARED FOR GOMBE

In Gombe, Muhammadu Yahaya, who is seeking a second term in office, has been elected as the APC governorship candidate in the forthcoming election.

Yahaya polled 563 votes through voice affirmation, while seven delegates were said to have been unable to make it to the venue of the election.

In his remarks, the Gombe governor thanked the delegates for finding him worthy to be the party’s flag-bearer for the 2023 governorship election.

TONYE COLE TO REPRESENT RIVERS APC

Tonye Cole, a former executive director of Sahara Group, won the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state.

Larry Ode, the returning officer, said Cole polled 986 votes to win the ticket at the party’s primary, defeating Ojukai Flagamakere who got 190 votes, Sukonte Davids with 49 votes, Michael West got 43 votes, Benald Miku had two votes, while Magnus Abe secured one vote.

In his acceptance speech, Cole expressed gratitude to Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, for believing in his capacity to give good governance to the people of Rivers.

He also thanked all the delegates and party members for their support.

SULE GETS TICKET TO SEEK RE-ELECTION

Abdullahi Sule, governor of Nasarawa, has received the nod of delegates of the APC to run for a second term in office.

Ahmed Ibeto, chairman of the party’s governorship primary election committee, said Sule polled 698 votes to defeat Fatima Abdullahi, who got three votes.

NASIRU IDRIS, NUT PRESIDENT, WINS KEBBI TICKET

Nasiru Idris, president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has been declared as the APC governorship candidate for Kebbi state.

He defeated Yahaya Abdullahi, senate leader, by scoring 1,055 votes out of the 1,090 votes cast.

While Abdullahi secured no vote, Abubakar Gari-Malam, polled the remaining 35 votes.

Idris Yahuza, the returning officer, declared the results.

On his part, the NUT president commended APC stakeholders for the smooth conduct of the exercise and also thanked his supporters.

Among persons present at the primary were Atiku Bagudu, governor of Kebbi; Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, among others.

MATAWALLE IS FLAGBEARER FOR ZAMFARA 

In Zamfara, Matawalle ran unopposed and secured the votes of 733 out of 735 delegates drawn from the 147 wards of 14 LGAs of the state.

Babagana Tijjani-Banki chaired the electoral committee that supervised the exercise in Zamfara.

BUNI RETURNED UNOPPOSED

Announcing the result in Damaturu, Umar Kareto, the returning officer, said Mai Mala Buni, governor of Yobe, was the sole candidate and was elected as the party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 elections.

Kareto said 890 delegates were accredited, 825 votes were cast, 805 votes were valid, while 20 were invalid.

In his acceptance speech, Buni thanked the delegates and his party for finding him worthy of the ticket for the second time.

SOLE ASPIRANT SANWO-OLU WINS LAGOS TICKET

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, was declared the winner of the primary which held on Thursday at the Mobolaji Johnson arena, formerly known as Onikan Stadium.

According to Ahmed Yuguda, chairman of the Lagos APC primary electoral committee, Sanwo-Olu secured 1,170 votes out of a total of 1,198 accredited votes.

UNOPPOSED ZULUM GETS BORNO TICKET

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state, won the APC governorship primary election in the state.

Announcing the result, Uba Maigari, chairman of the primary electoral committee, said the governor emerged unopposed.

Maigari said that 1,422 delegates were accredited while 1,411 voted and endorsed Zulum through a voice vote.

LANDSLIDE WIN FOR UBA SANI

Uba Sani has clinched the ticket to represent the APC in the Kaduna governorship poll.

The senator picked 1149 votes to defeat Sani Shaaban who had 10 votes and Bashir Abubakar who secured 37 votes.

Following his victory, Sani said: “For long we waited for this moment. By the special grace of God we are witnesses to this glorious moment. I am deeply humbled and delighted to stand before this distinguished gathering of our party delegates, top officials and supporters to deliver this acceptance speech.”

BASSEY OTU IS APC CANDIDATE IN CROSS RIVER

Bassey Otu defeated Chris Agara and Owan Enoh to win the gubernatorial primary election in Cross River.

The former federal lawmaker polled 811 votes, while Owan Enoh was a distant second with 86 votes and Agara had 63 votes.

Fifteen other aspirants had earlier dropped their ambition to support Otu after the APC in the state announced him as the consensus candidate of the party.