Upsets, Shock as National Assembly Elections’ Results Trickle In

*Speaker Gbajabiamila Reelected for 6th Term

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has hailed his constituents in the Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State for re-electing him for the 6th term.
Gbajabiamila emerged victorious during the presidential and National Assembly elections that took place on Saturday.
He polled 19,717 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Bosun Jeje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 5,121 votes.
The Speaker was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2003 and had since won elections for five cycles, including last Saturday’s.
During his 20-year journey in the House of Representatives so far, Gbajabiamila has served as Minority Whip, Minority Leader, Opposition Leader, and Majority Leader before he was elected Speaker in 2019.
Reacting to the victory, Gbajabiamila said he remained grateful to the people of Surulere 1 for giving him the sixth term mandate, noting that he would not disappoint them.
He said he would continue to work assiduously to bring more development projects to Surulere and beyond.

Fatoba Defeats Fayose, Obayemi, Others; Bamidele Wins
INEC in Ekiti State has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives candidate for Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1, Hon. Fatoba Olusola Steve winner of 2023 Ado, Irepodun-Ifelodun Federal Constituency election.
Equally, the senate candidate of the APC for Ekiti Central, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has been declared as the winner of the poll.
With the announcement of Bamidele, he would be the first Senator in Ekiti Central to be re-elected back to National Assembly since 1999.
The INEC Returning Officer for the Constituency, Prof. Opoola Bolanle Tajudeen, Olusola polled 39,182 votes to defeat the son of former Ekiti State Governor, Oluwajomiloju  Fayose of PDP, who came distant second with 12,295 votes and Obayemi Toyin Temidayo of Social Democratic Party (SDP), who  came distant third with 10,899 votes.

Bamidele was declared the winner by the INEC Returning Officer, Prof. J. Sola Omotola, announced that he polled 69,351 to defeat his rival, Lateef Oladimeji Ajijola of PDP, who polled 26,181
Bamidele, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters was at his victory thanksgiving service, held at Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin-Ekiti with his wife, family members, friends and political associates.
He appreciated the good people of Ekiti Central for giving him yet another privilege and democratic mandate to represent them in the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

House Spokesman Reelected in Abia, Onyejeocha Loses
*Adeleke’s rep wins in Osun  
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has won his reelection for Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State.
The All Progressives Congress member was reelected for a second term.
According to the results declared by the Returning Officer, Adindu Chidinma, APC polled 10,020 votes in the constituency, beating the Labour Party with 6,818; Peoples Democratic Party, 3,930; and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, with 301 votes.
Others are APN with 184; YPP, 105; ADC, 90; APP, 72; NNPP, 60; and SDP with 17 votes.
Reacting in a message, Kalu said, “This is a moment of happiness. This victory is sweet because it came with a lot of hard work and confrontation between those outside and some forces within the party.
“But in all of these, God has seen the sincerity of our hearts to serve the people of Bende with transparency, honesty, in the spirit of accountability and His name has been glorified.”

Meanwhile, the ambition of the Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, (APC) to return to the House for a fifth term has been cut short as Chief Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party, won.
Announcing the results, the returning officer, Nneoma Nnochiri declared that LP scored 11,769, PDP 6760, APC 8752, APGA 1,198
But the lawmaker representing Ede-North/Ede-South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency in Osun State, Hon. Bamidele Salam, has won his reelection.
Returning Officer, Dr Muritala Monsuru, of the Department of History, University of Ibadan, who declared the results for the constituency, said Salam polled 64,236 votes to defeat his All Progressives Congress opponent, Akeem Atanda, who scored 35,444 votes.
A breakdown of the result showed that Salam beat Atanda in all the four local government areas making up the federal constituency with a margin of 28,792 votes.
Salam, in his reaction, expressed gratitude to God, Governor Ademola Adeleke, and his constituents for the renewed trust and confidence reposed in him through his re-election.

Senate’s Spokesman, Bashiru, Loses to PDP in Osun
Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru, has lost his bid to return to the senate, after losing to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Fadeyi Olubiyi.
Declaring result of the election at the Osun Central Senatorial collation centre, Osogbo City Hall, Olonkoro, the collation officer, Professor Ibrahim Usman disclosed that Olubiyi scored 134, 229 to defeat Basiru, who polled 117,609 while Labour Party candidate, Oyebode Babasola, scored 2,292.
Also, the PDP candidate for Osogbo Federal Constituency, Moruf Adebayo polled 71,677 votes to defeat his APC rival, Abosede Kasumu-Ogo-Oluwa who scored 58,992 votes.
According to the collation officer, Dr Isiaq Egbewole, the Labour Party candidate scored 1,930 votes to emerge third.

APC Wins Four Federal Constituencies in Ogun
Candidates of the ruling APC have won the four House of Representatives election results officially released by INEC in Ogun State.
The federal constituencies released were Abeokuta South, Yewa North/Imeko Afon, Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ijebu Waterside and Egbado South/Ipokia Federal Constituencies.
In Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, the APC House of Representatives candidate, Hon. Afolabi Afuape, was declared winner of the poll c.
Returning Officer, Prof. Oladele Salako, declared Afolabi winner,  over candidates of other political parties.

Ex-Ogun Governor, Daniel, Wins Senate Election
A former Governor of Ogun State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has won the Ogun East senatorial election.
In the election announced by the INEC, Daniel scored 115,147 votes to defeat other candidates in the contest for National Assembly seat.
The official results were announced by the Returning Officer, Prof. Christopher Onwuka, at the Ogun East Senatorial Collation Centre in Itoro Hall, Ijebu-Ode.
Daniel cleared all the nine local government areas in the senatorial district, including Ijebu North, Odogbolu, Remo North, Sagamu, Ijebu North East, Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu East, Ikenne and Ogun Waterside.
A breakdown of the results showed that the PDP came second in the senatorial election, polling 58,708 votes while the Labour Party (LP) followed with 13,061 votes.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) polled 1,716 votes, Social Democratic Party (SDP) got 1,151 votes, while Allied Peoples Movement (APM) had 857 votes.
Both the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNIPP) polled 494 and 379 votes respectively while Action Peoples Party (APP) secured 193 votes. The National Rescue Movement  (NRM) garnered 168 votes while People’s Redemption Party (PRP) polled 130 votes.
Having satisfied the requirements of the law and polled the highest number of votes, Otunba Daniel was declared winner of the election.  

CUPP Spokesman, Ugochinyere, Wins Ideato Reps Seat
Spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and PDP candidate for Ideato North, South Federal Constituency area of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has been declared winner of the seat.
In the result announced by the INEC Returning officer, Mr Onwuachu Chinyere, he polled a total of 13,026 voted to floor his closest rival in the election and the Labour Party candidate (LP), Hon Pascal Obi, who scored 5,696 votes.
Candidate of the APC, Mr Chika Abazu, trailed behind with 2,368 votes.  
Ugochinyere, reacting, thanked God for his victory, and dedicated it to his late uncle, Daniel Ikeagwuonu and two others, who were murdered on January 14 in his Akokwa country home.

Gana’s Son, Joshua, Wins Reps Seat in Niger
Former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana’s son, Joshua, has been elected into the National Assembly on the platform of the PDP in Niger State.
Gana won the seat for Lavun Mokwa and Edati constituency, after polling 47942 votes to defeat the incumbent, Alhaji Abdullahi Usman Gbatamangi, who scored 40,003 votes.
Results  for the Shiroro, Munya and Rafi federal constituency contest showed that Ibrahim Modibo of the APC was victorious by defeating Abdullahi Ricco of the PDP. Modibo polled 47271 votes against Ricco’s 31,258.

Election Holds in Bayelsa’s Remaining 141 Polling Units
There was relative calm in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital and other places, where the INEC conducted the rescheduled presidential and national assembly elections in 141 polling units.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had postponed elections in  the 141 polling units in Yenagoa, over disruptions of the  electoral process in Wards 4, 6, 8, and 14.
The electorate had protested the non-availability of electoral materials, INEC officials and incomplete ballot papers.
Voters in the polling units, however, trooped out as early as 8am to the polling units located in some part of the Yenagoa metropolis to cast their votes after assurances from the INEC headquarters that security has been remobilised.

At the Bayelsa Medical University (BMU), located at Imgbi road, Ompadec, Azikoro, Mike Okpopor and other centers, voting went on smoothly and orderly.

But there were still some people who could not find their names on the units allocated to them by INEC, while some could not be captured by the BVAS.

At Mike Okpokpo street, unit 27, a former Chief of Staff to a former Governor in the State, Dikivie Ikiogha, said the BVAS failed to accredit him and many others despite many attempts.

He said he had visited many of the polling units in search of his polling as INEC has allegedly changed many voters’ units without adequate information.

Also, Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Mr.  Taribo Spiff, urged the youths to continue to be peaceful while the exercise was ongoing.

INEC to Conduct Fresh Election in Seven RAs in Rivers

The INEC has announced that it would conduct a fresh election in seven Registered Areas (RAs) in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers, Johnson Sinikiem, announced this yesterday, while briefing journalists on the proceedings in collation of the results for presidential, senatorial and House of Representative elections in the state.

Present at the briefing were the political parties agents, security agencies, international and local observers, civil society organisation and members of staff of INEC Rivers State, who were involved in the process of the election.

Sinikiem expressed satisfaction in the election across the state. He explained that out of the 17 RAs in Degema, election only held in 10 following some challenges faced by the INEC staff, who could not access the area on the election day.

He however, urged Rivers people and various stakeholders to be patience with the Commission, assuring them that every vote must be counted.

“This briefing is necessary at this time, that the electorate are very expectant of the outcome of their wishes, which is very sacrosanct and the Commission has a duty of protecting the wishes of the masses in the election of February 25, 2023, the Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representative.

“Results were collated primarily from a polling unit via Form EC8A, EC8A (1), EC8A (2) for the Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representative elections respectively.

“The election went in smoothly in all the LGAs, though the Presiding Officers had a hitch uploading results from polling units to the INEC Result Quarters (IRQ). This is as a result of poor network, which is a national problem or issues in all the places that elections did not hold yesterday due to one reason or the other, apart from violence that will not affect the outcome of the elections.

“We have a situation in Degema Local Government, about seven RAs, we could not deploy and that we are also covered by Section 24 (2) of the Electoral Act. So, we are looking at how to configure new Bi-VAS to schedule possibly tomorrow, to conclude that RAs in Degema. I have received clearance from the headquarters to go ahead and organise election there within the shortest reasonable time,” he said.