GOVERNORS AND OTHERS SUFFER A DOUBLE SETBACK IN THE 2023 ELECTIONS

Last week, governorship and state house of assembly elections were place across the country. While the election is over, mixed emotions and worries remain about the voting process, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and the function of the Independent National Election Commission, INEC.

Before the election, many governors had great aspirations and were confident that they would win for themselves, those who ran as candidates, or their successors.

Nonetheless, the results announced by the election commission in certain states were unexpected and shocking.

According to estimates, at least seven leaving governors failed to cross over to Nigeria's Senate after serving two terms of eight years.

At the February 25 National Assembly elections, the outgoing governors were defeated in their respective senatorial districts.

Meanwhile, some governors suffered double losses because their respective states were unable to produce successors.

Lalong

Governor Simon Lalong failed to secure the Plateau South Senatorial District seat.

Lalong was defeated in the National Assembly elections by Rtd AVM Bali Ninkap Napoleon of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The Returning Officer, Professor Meshak Goyit, declared that Bali Napoleon of the PDP received 148,844 votes, defeating Governor Lalong of the APC, who received 91,674 votes.

As if the setback wasn't enough, Caleb Mutfwang, the PDP's governorship candidate in the state, defeated Lalong's candidate, Nentawe Yilwatda of the All Progressives Party, APC.

Omo-Agege

On Monday, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Delta State, Ovie Omo-Agege, was defeated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Sheriff Oborevwori.

Omo-Agege received a total of 240,229 votes, while his PDP rival, Oborevwori, received 360,234 votes. Omo-Agege was elected in only four of the state's 25 local governments. seat.

Notwithstanding the fact that he is the senator representing the Delta Central Senatorial District and the current Deputy Senate President.

Ortom

Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue, suffered a double defeat. Ortom first lost the senate election to the All Progressives Congress candidate, Titus Zam, who was also his former Special Advisor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Meanwhile, Ortom suffered another loss as Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, a Catholic priest of the All Progressives Congress, APC, defeated his candidate, Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Faruk Kuta, said the APC candidate polled 473,933 votes to defeat his closest rival, Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party, who scored 223,914 votes.

Ugwuanyi

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi lost his senatorial bid to the Labour Party, LP, candidate for the Enugu North Senatorial District election, Ezea, Okechukwu.

Chukwuemeka Ubaka, the Returning Officer for the election, announced the results at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation office in Nsukka Local Government Area headquarters.

Ezea, the LP candidate, received 104,492 votes, defeating Ugwuanyi, the PDP candidate, who received 46,948 votes. Ugwuanyi could face another defeat as his preferred candidate, Peter Mbah, is on the verge of being trounced by Chijioke Edoga of the Labour Party, LP. The INEC is still reviewing a result from one of the states' local governments.

Ikpeazu

Enyinnaya Abaribe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) defeated Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Abia South Senatorial District election. According to INEC, Abaribe received the most votes in the poll, receiving 49,903 votes. Chinedu Onyeizu of the Labour Party (LP) received 43,903 votes, while Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party received 28,422 votes to finish third.

There were protests throughout the state before the election results were announced, alleging that the authority was attempting to change the initial results.

Okey Ahiwe, Ikpeazu's preferred candidate in the State governorship election, is likewise on the verge of losing to Alex Otti of the Labour Party, LP. Otti leads with 172,246 votes, while his major challenger, Ahiwe, received 78,628 votes, according to results compiled from the 16 local governments. The margin of victory between the LP and the PDP candidates is 93,618 votes.

The result from Obingwa LG is being reviewed by the INEC at the time of posting this report.

Tambuwal

Saidu Umar, the candidate of Governor Aminu Tambuwal, lost the state governorship election to Ahmed Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Aliyu received the most votes and was declared the winner of the governorship race.

According to the State Collation Officer, Bichi Amaya'u, who revealed the results in Sokoto on Sunday, Aliyu received 453,661 votes, defeating his nearest challenger and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Saidu Umar, who received 404,632.

Aliyu, an ally of former Sokoto State governor and sitting senator Aliyu Wamakko, served as Governor Aminu Tambuwal's deputy from 2015 and 2019.

Ishaku

Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku is a two-term PDP governor. He did, however, lose his Senate bid. Ishaku ran for the Taraba South Senatorial District seat in the Senate. The governor was defeated by his All Progressives Congress, APC counterpart, David Jimkuta, who received 85,415 votes to his 45,708 votes.

Ayade

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade was also defeated in his ambition to return to the Senate after serving his second term as governor. From 2011 through 2015, Ayade served as a Senator. He had wanted to be re-elected as senator for Cross River North, but the incumbent, Jarigbe Agom- Jarigbe, defeated him. PDP candidate Agom-Jarigbe received 76,145 votes, while Ayade received 56,595 votes.

Bagudu

Atiku Bagudu, the governor of Kebbi State, was defeated in his quest to represent the Kebbi Central Senatorial District in the Senate. Senator Bagudu of the APC was defeated by Senator Adamu Aliero of the PDP.

Abbas Bazata, the Returning Officer, pronounced Adamu Aliero the winner, with 126,588 votes to Bagudu's 92,389 votes.

Dogara

Notwithstanding his staunch opposition to Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Bello's second-term ambition, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, lost his home local government area, Bogoro LGA, to the governor. Governor Mohammed represented the PDP, while Dogara supported the APC's immediate Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar (retd).