BYE-ELECTIONS APC, PDP Maintain Strongholds In Bayelsa, Lagos, Zamfara, Others

The expectation of any major upset in yesterday’s bye-elections seems slim as results trickling in last night showed that the two major parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were leading in states where they are ruling.

The bye-elections held in Bayelsa Central, Bayelsa West, Cross River North, Imo North, Lagos East, Plateau South senatorial districts as well as the Bakura Federal Constituency in Zamfara State are regarded as the first major test of popularity between APC and PDP following recent exchange of brickbats over defections and dominance in the political space.

The candidates of the PDP in the bye-elections into the West and Central senatorial districts of Bayelsa State yesterday were in early lead.

The election was peaceful and conducted amid commendation for officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police.

Early results monitored in some units showed that the candidates of the PDP, former governor Seriake Dickson and Cleopas Moses were leading in Sagbama, Southern Ijaw, Kolokuma/Opokuma local government areas of West and Central senatorial districts.

LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the PDP candidate, Cleopas Moses, won his unit SILGA WARD 17, Unit 019 with APC, 103 and PDP, 412.

Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, also delivered his polling unit 4, Ward 7 in Sampou, Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area to his party, the PDP. The party won convincingly with 802 votes while APC scored no vote.

Similarly, the deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, won his polling unit 6, Ward 4 in Ofoni, Sagbama local government area.

In the result declared, the PDP polled 1,150 while its nearest challenger, the APC, got 13 while the PDP also won at Unit 10 of the same ward by 1484 to APC’s 9 votes.

At Atissa Ward 1, Unit 10 (Peace Park) opposite Government House, Yenagoa, the PDP polled 43 votes as against APC’s 3.

Voting started late in Agbere community in Sagbama local government area in the Bayelsa West Senatorial District after hoodlums attacked the RAC center in a bid to disrupt the process but security agents intervened and recovered all election materials.

The commissioner for Finance, Mr Maxwell Ebibai, condemned the attitude of some people who plotted to disenfranchise others in Agbere.

Mr Ebibai, who spoke after security agents scuttled plans by hoodlums to disrupt the elections and cart away materials thus delaying the process, explained that the people were eager to vote for the candidate of their choice and would do so no matter the situation.

He lauded the security personnel and INEC officials for recognising the rights of the people to vote and the provisions made to ensure smooth and peaceful poll.

Chief Collins Cocodia, the political aide to the governor, also cleared his polling unit with APC 35 and PDP 637 in Trofani community of Sagbama.

In Sagbama, the PDP candidate in Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Hon Seriake Dickson, described the turnout at Sagbama Ward 2 as impressive and commended voters and election officials for the peaceful conduct.

Dickson spoke after casting his vote at Sagbama Ward 2 unit 5, Toru-Orua, his country home.

He said, “From the available preliminary reports, there is massive turnout not only here, but in other polling units.

“I want to appreciate voters for the very impressive turnout and also thank election officials for the peaceful conduct.

“I hope and expect that this level of conduct is sustained to the very end culminating in a return because every election is in stages up to the declaration.

“I also thank security agencies for their vigilance so far. Once again, I expect that level of professionalism is sustained throughout the exercise,” he said.

At Trofani, the Special Adviser to Governor on Political Matters and chieftain of the PDP, Chief Colins Cocodia and a chieftain of the APC, Chief Perekeme Kpodoh, commended INEC and the voters for their peaceful conduct.

At Sampou community in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area, the Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri, expressed confidence in the ability of the two candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to make an impact when they are voted into the Senate.

Diri, who spoke with journalists shortly after voting at his polling unit 4, Ward 6 in his community, Sampou, Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area, described the PDP candidate and former governor in the West Senatorial District, Chief Seriake Dickson and that of the Central Senatorial District, Hon. Moses Cleopas, a former PDP state chairman, as incomparable to any other party’s candidate in the election.

According to him, the upper house of the National Assembly is not a place for jokers but people with integrity and understanding who would bring acumen to the Senate and make the state proud.

“Being a former member of the National Assembly, I know it takes a great pedigree to belong there. So I know that the candidates of our great party, the PDP, are eminently qualified to be there”, the governor said.

Diri commended the peaceful disposition in the election, while expressing optimism that his party’s candidates would emerge victorious.

The bye-elections in Bayelsa however recorded the tragic death of three yet to be identified policemen who were on their way to Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State on election duty.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on the eve of the election.

The policemen were said to be on their way to the place of assignment when the boat capsized.

The spokesman of the police command, SP Asinim Butswat, said the boat capsized on the way to Oporoma, headquarters of the local government area and they were yet to ascertain the number of policemen involved.

In Lagos East, the APC candidate, Tokunbo Abiru, took a huge lead in several results released from polling units yesterday.

LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that voting stopped around 3:00pm and several polling units counted the votes.

The PDP candidate, Babatunde Gbadamosi, was trailing behind the APC’s candidate in polling units’ results got before press time.

Lagos State deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, delivered his Polling Unit 004, Ward 4, Oke-Balogun registration area for the candidate of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tokunbo Abiru.

APC’s Abiru scored 97 votes out of the 111 votes cast at the unit, while his closest challenger, Babatunde Gbadamosi of the PDP got 10 votes.

The ADP got two votes and the ADC followed with one vote. One of the votes cast at the unit was voided.

The number of registered voters at the unit is 738.

Also, the chairman of Bariga local council development area, Kolade Alabi, delivered his polling unit for the APC Senatorial candidate, Tokunbo Abiru.

Alabi, the national president of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), ensured APC’s candidate polled 55 votes to defeat the candidate of the PDP, Babatunde Gbadamosi, who came a distance second with 5 votes at Awofodu Ward, Polling Unit 017, Bariga.

The candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) got one vote.

Meanwhile, INEC has announced the results of the state House of Assembly by-election in Dass constituency of Bauchi State, with the APC candidate emerging winner of the poll.

Hon Bala Ali Lukshi of the APC was declared winner of Dass Constituency State House of Assembly by-election with 12,299 votes, with PDP candidate Bala Lawal Wandi trailing behind with 11,062 votes.

Declaring the results in Dass, the returning officer, Prof Ahmed Mohammed, declared Ali Lukshi of APC winner having fulfilled the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes I’m the election.

The Dass constituency is considered an APC stronghold.

The Assembly bye election was held following the death of Hon. Musa Mante, a member of the APC, who was killed by gunmen in August.

Also, results from Plateau South senatorial bye election showed that the APC candidate, Prof Nora Dadu’ut was maintaining an early lead against her opponent, Hon George Daika, candidate of the PDP in Kwande ward.

According to the result, out of the 33 polling units in Kwande ward, Prof Dadu’ut cleared 24 polling units with wide margin while her rival, Daika of the PDP won in nine polling units in the area.

The total number of votes garnered by the APC candidate is 2031, while PDP candidate score 1249. Prof. Nora Dadu’ut is from Quanpan local government council.