APC wins in 13 states, PDP victorious in four

Winners of Saturday’s governorship election began to emerge on Sunday afternoon with the All Progressives Congress topping the Peoples Democratic Party in the results so far released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

There were however still pockets of protests and killings in a few states even as the results were being announced and collation taking place in many other states.

The first to be officially announced victorious was Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who defeated PDP’s Ganiyu Isiaka. Amosun of the APC is therefore set for a second term in office.

The Gboyega Nasir Isiaka Campaign Organisation rejected the result of the governorship poll, saying it was “unfortunate and a travesty staged to help the APC achieve victory.”

It claimed that the outcome of the election   was clearly not a true reflection of Ogun people’s wish and said that the result would be challenged as appropriate.

In the neigbouring Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, also of the APC became the first governor of the state to clinch a second term in office.

He defeated former governors, Rashidi Ladoja of the Accord Party and Adebayo Alao-Akala of Labour Party in the race.

While the governor polled 327,310 votes; Ladoja had 254,520 and Alao-Akala ,   184,111.

APC’s candidate in Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode, polled 811,994 votes to defeat PDP’s   Jimi Agbaje,who scored 659,788 votes.

Agbaje accepted defeat and congratulated Ambode but the state PDP rejected the result, citing   ‘controversial’ circumstances within which the elections were conducted in the state as reasons.

The media aide of the governor-elect, Idowu Ajanaku, told one of our correspondents   on the telephone that Agbaje called to congratulate Ambode at 6.50pm on Sunday.

“Mr. Jimi Agbaje called at exactly 6.50pm to congratulate Mr. Ambode. He prayed for Mr. Ambode and told him that he was looking forward to a more prosperous Lagos, ” Ajanaku said.

Shortly after being declared winner, Ambode in his acceptance speech, extended his hand of fellowship to Agbaje by urging him to join in making Lagos a better place.

The governor-elect, who commended Agbaje for congratulating him , added that his government would not victimise those who voted against him.

He said, “To my main opponent, Mr. Jimi Agbaje of the PDP, I thank you for a keen contest and invite you, alongside other governorship candidates, to join hands with me in moving Lagos forward.”

Ambode also lauded   the people of the state for voting him and the APC, adding that by aligning Lagos with the centre, unprecedented development would come to the state.

He   gave special thanks to a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Fashola for believing in him.

Ambode said like former United States President, Abraham Lincoln, his government would be run “with malice toward none and with charity for all.”

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); a former Speaker of the House, Aminu Masari (Katsina); and erstwhile Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai(Kaduna) also emerged victorious.

El-Rufai floored Governor Mukhtar Yero of the PDP.

The other APC governorship election winners are Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Ibrahim Geidam(Yobe) and Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa).

Bindow handed Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission a shocking defeat.

Ribadu conceded defeat     when     results from   most of the LGAs showed that he was trailing behind in results from the LGAs.

Ganduje, who is the current deputy governor of Kano State polled 1,546,434 votes. His PDP rival, Salihu Tokai had 509,726 votes.

The governorship candidate of the APC in Benue State, Samuel Ortom, raced to victory by polling 387,753 votes as against PDP’s   Terhemen Tarzoor, who scored 296,189 votes.

Geidam   polled   334, 847 votes to defeat   Adamu Waziri of the PDP,who had 179, 700 votes.

PDP’s candidates Udom Em