Former immigration boss picks Plateau PDP Senate PDP ticket

– David Paradang, a former comptroller-general of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), assures PDP delegates of quality representation if elected into the Senate

– Suleiman Adokwe, a serving senator representing Nasarawa south senatorial district wins the PDP’s Nasarawa south senatorial zone primary election

David Paradang, former comptroller-general of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has picked the PDP ticket to contest for the Plateau central senatorial seat.

According to the results of the primary election held in Pankshin, Paradang scored 422 votes from a total of 659, to beat five others.

Mohammed Inusa-Ali, chairman of the electoral committee, who announced the result, thanked the delegates for their orderly conduct and also lauded the aspirants for their maturity.

“The election was a `huge success’, thanks to the delegates, aspirants and party officials,”he said.

In his acceptance speech, Paradang thanked the delegates for the ticket and assured them of quality representation if elected.

In Plateau north, Istifanus Gyang scored 442 votes to picked the ticket, flooring Chris Giwa, former President of a faction of the NFF, who got 291 votes.

The third contender, Francis Bot, withdrew from the race few hours before voting started

In another news, Suleiman Adokwe, a serving senator representing Nasarawa south senatorial district has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nasarawa south senatorial zone primary election.

Adokwe, who seeks to return to the Senate for the fourth term, beat his closest opponent, Mohammed Ogoshi-Onawo, in a keenly contested primaries held in lafia.

Ogoshi-Onawo is also a federal lawmaker representing Awe/Doma/Keana federal constituency at the House of Representatives.

Anugbum Onuorah, the chairman of the electoral committee announced that Adokwe polled 287 votes to beat Ogoshi-Onawo who secured 255 votes from a total of 542 votes cast.

Onuorah, who said the election was peaceful, transparent and the delegates conducted themselves peacefully, also explained that 547 delegates were expected to participate in the election, but only 542 were accredited and subsequently voted with no invalid votes recorded.

“I commend the delegates for their peaceful conduct in this senatorial primary election. It was peaceful. We have concluded the election, counted the votes and on behalf of the chairman of PDP, I want to announce the result as follows.

“Mohammed Ogoshi-Onawo scored a total votes of 255 and Suleiman Adokwe scored a total of 287 votes.

“Having fulfilled all the requirements as enshrined in the constitution of the party, I, the chairman and returning officer for this primary election hereby declare that Sen. Adokwe, having secured the highest votes is hereby returned the winner and candidate of PDP for this senatorial district,” he said.

Adokwe expressed joy over the victory and thanked the electoral committee for ensuring a transparent process and the delegates for giving him another opportunity to serve them at the National Assembly.

He appreciated his opponent for his sportsmanship, mature conduct and for accepting the result, which, according to him was keenly contested.

He added that both contestants and other PDP stakeholders in Nasarawa South had agreed to work in unison to win the senatorial election in the 2019 general elections for the party, irrespective of who emerged.

“I will like to thank him immensely for assuring the party that we will continue to work for the party; It is a family affair.

“The contest was done peacefully and transparently. Both of us assured our supporters that whoever wins, we will work together,” he said.

The primary election which started on Tuesday night, October 2 was concluded on Wednesday morning, October 3.

Meanwhile, former Taraba acting governor, Sani Danladi, has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) party primaries, defeating nine other aspirants who contested with him.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the chairman of the APC governorship primary election for Taraba, Senator Emmanuel Ocheja, while declaring the results at the Fast Track Hotel in Jalingo in the early hours of Wednesday, October 3, said Danladi scored 60,629 votes out of the total of 10.