IPOB’s Sit-At-Home Forces PDP To Shift Primaries In South East

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could not hold its primaries in the South-East states on Monday due to the sit-at-home being enforced by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Although the spokesperson for IPOB, Emma Powerful, had repeatedly claimed that the sit-at-home order had been suspended, some gunmen have continued to terrorise and kill residents who fail to observe it.

Abia Senatorial primary postponed over insecurity

In Abia State, the PDP announced the postponement of the party senatorial primaries, inconclusive House of Representatives and state House of Assembly primary elections in the state citing insecurity.

A statement by the state Vice Chairman, Elder Amah Abraham, said the party postponed the election by 24 hours due to “The current security situation in the South East.”

The party informed the general public, stakeholders, delegates and members of the PDP that the senatorial primary elections would hold in the three senatorial zones by noon.

Abraham said the inconclusive elections into the five federal constituencies and the three state constituencies would also hold today at the approved locations only.

Anambra 3-man Adhoc delegates’ election holds Tuesday

The party has not been able to hold its primaries in Anambra State because of a crisis over the delegates’ congress.

The delegate election earlier fixed for April 30 was later shifted to May 1 by the Jibrin Ahmed-led panel.

However, the election failed to hold on the rescheduled date when it was discovered that the panel members came to hold the election without the original result sheet.

The three-man ad hoc delegate election ought to have been held yesterday to enable the party to conduct its primaries today but failed to hold because of the sit-at-home being observed in the state on Mondays.

It was gathered that the party will now hold the delegates’ congress today in preparation for the primaries within the week.

Controversy in Ebonyi

The primaries did not also hold in Ebonyi over the fear of safety by officials and members of the party because of the sit-at-home.

The senator representing Ebonyi Central and the PDP governorship aspirant, Senator Obinna Ogba, confirmed this to journalists.

The exercise is expected to resume today.

However, there is controversy over the conduct following the plan by the restated state Chairman, Toochukwu Okorie, to conduct delegates’ congress today instead of the earlier slated primaries.

Okorie was yesterday declared the authentic state chairman of the party by the Court of Appeal after he was ousted by a Federal High Court in Abuja and replaced by Silas Onu.

In an interview with Daily Trust Monday evening, he said the primaries for the House of Representatives and Senate would hold on Wednesday.

But Onu in a statement released Monday evening insisted that he still remained the state chairman, adding that the primaries for the Senate would take place today.

Imo

The situation remains the same in Imo State where the sit-at-home forced the party not to conduct the primaries.

The entire streets of Owerri and its environs were completely deserted as residents stayed at home to observe the order.

Shops, schools and commercial centres were completely closed as candidates for the West African School Certificate Examination had to stay over in their schools to enable them sit for the exam.

Meanwhile, the suspended primary for the opposition PDP is expected to hold today.

The Three-man ad hoc delegates Congress would hold today ahead of the primaries fixed for Wednesday.

Taraba gov, deputy win PDP senatorial primaries

Governor Darius Ishāku of Taraba State has won the ticket for Taraba South senatorial primary.

He got 154 votes to win the primary where he was unopposed.

Ishāku’s deputy, Alhaji Haruna Manu, also won the Taraba Central senatorial primary.

Haruna scored 143 votes to defeat Muhammed Abana who did not score any vote. The Taraba Central zone primary was conducted at Bali.

The sitting senator representing Taraba North, Alhaji Shuaibu Isa Lau, also won the primary, which was conducted at Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo.

Dankwambo wins PDP ticket for Gombe North

A former Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, was declared the candidate for the Gombe North Senatorial District.

He was declared the winner after two other aspirants, Senator Usman Bayero Nafada and Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh withdrew from the contest through an affirmation letter presented at the election venue by their representatives.

For the Gombe Central seat, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, the governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) in 2011, scored 59 votes to defeat Muhammadu Aliyu Baba who got three votes, to be declared the PDP’s flag bearer.

While for the Gombe South Senatorial District, Mr Anthony Siyako Yaro scored 59 votes to defeat Hajiya Fatima Binta Bello who scored 57 votes.

Aduda wins PDP ticket for FCT senate

The incumbent senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Philip Aduda, also emerged as the winner of the PDP senate primaries.

The party’s electoral committee Chairman, Aminu Suleiman Gwada, who declared the result, said Aduda polled 190 votes to emerge the winner after two other aspirants stepped down.

The FCT Residents Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who led six other INEC officers of the six area councils to monitor the primaries, affirmed that the primaries were held in accordance with the commission’s laid down procedures.

Ondo senators lose return bids

Two serving senators from Ondo State, Ayo Akinyelure (PDP-Ondo Central) and Nicholas Tofowomo (PDP-Ondo South) Monday lost their bid to return to the Senate.

Akinyelure, who is the Senate Chairman, Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition, lost the primary to Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) by 82 votes to 57 votes.

Tofowomo lost his return ticket to the former Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi.

Ajayi scored 78 votes to beat Tofowomo who polled 74 votes.

Parallel congresses in Kano, Edo

There was confusion in the Kano chapter of the PDP as two factions conducted primaries leaving aspirants in an uncertain state.

Two factions of the PDP led by Shehu Wada Sagagi and Bello Hayatu Gwarzo held primary elections for the state House of Assembly and House of Representatives in Kano on Sunday, but they were yet to officially announce the results as of the time of filing this report.

A high court had last week granted an interlocutor injunction restraining the Sagagi-led exco of the party from parading themselves as the leaders of the party in the state, a development many interpreted to have given legitimacy to the faction led by Gwarzo and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali.

Both factions claimed to have been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and delegations from the party’s national body were present during their primaries on Sunday.

During a visit to both secretariats of the two factions in Kano, the places were deserted as they were all said to be out observing the senatorial primaries and collating the representatives and assembly results at undisclosed locations.

Upset in Edo

The Edo PDP has been engulfed in crisis over who produces the delegates’ list between Governor Godwin Obaseki’s camp and that of Chief Dan Orbih, leading to parallel congresses.

In Governor Obaseki’s camp, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, a former house of assembly member, scored 113 votes to defeat serving Senator Mathew Urhoghide (Edo South) who polled 103 votes.

In Edo Central and North, Senator Clifford Ordia and Mrs Victoria Edelokun emerged unopposed, respectively.

But in Chief Dan Orbih’s camp, Ogbeide-Ihama clinched the PDP ticket for Edo South while in Edo Central, Mike Onolememe defeated Friday Itulah to pick the ticket and in Edo North, Pascal Ugbomeh emerged winner with 147 votes.

Postponement in Katsina

The party postponed its primaries for the three senatorial seats in Katsina to today as the results of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly were still being compiled.

The acting state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Lawal Salisu Uli, said the postponement was to enable the party to conclude the primaries in the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly which started on Sunday.

Jigawa

In Jigawa, former Governor Ibrahim Saminu Turaki emerged as the senatorial candidate of the PDP for Jigawa North-West Senatorial District.

Also elected were two former members of the House of Representatives from the state. They included Hussaini Umar Namadi and Mustapha Habib. They were all elected unopposed being sole candidates.

Wike’s deputy clinches ticket for Rivers West

The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry Banigo, won the ticket for the Rivers West senatorial primary. She was returned unopposed.

She is to replace Senator George Thompson Sekibo who is presently representing the district in the Senate.

Similarly, Chief Alwell Onyeso, a former Commissioner for Education in the state emerged as the candidate for Rivers East Senatorial District.

Late arrival of electoral officers delays Kaduna senatorial election

The late arrival of electoral officers delayed the commencement of the primary elections in the headquarters of the three senatorial districts in Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan.

The election for Kaduna Central Senatorial District, which was expected to take place at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna had yet to commence as of 6pm on Monday.

It was the same in Kafanchan where that of Kaduna South was expected to commence and Zaria where that of Kaduna North was expected to take place.

The PDP state Secretary in Kaduna, Ibrahim Wusonu, however, expressed confidence that the election would be conducted peacefully.

Yobe, Borno

A former federal lawmaker, Isa Lawan, clinched the PDP ticket for Borno North after scoring 270 votes to defeat Bukar Kolo who scored 23 votes.

In Borno South, Milinda Kudla Satomari popularly known as Haske scored 310 votes to defeat Mala Gadzama who scored six votes.

In Yobe, Aji Kolomi, who recently defected from the ruling APC to PDP, emerged as the party candidate for Yobe East Senatorial District.

Halilu Mazagane won the party primaries for Yobe South and Ilu Bello won Yobe North.

Confusion in Lagos

There was confusion in Lagos State Monday over the conduct of the senatorial primaries as no election had commenced at the time of filing this report.

Many of the members who spoke to our correspondent said they had no idea where the primaries were going to take place across the three senatorial districts.

It was earlier reported how the House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries held amidst similar confusion with the state working committee rejecting the election, saying the delegates’ list had been compromised.

However, despite the rejection of the process by the state executive alongside four governorship aspirants, some names later emerged to have won the tickets to represent the party.

From Lami Sadiq (Kaduna), Abdullateef Aliyu (Lagos), Titus Eleweke (Awka), Linus Effiong (Umuahia), Nabob Ogbonna (Abakiliki), Magaji Hunkunyi (Jalingo), Haruna Gimba Yaya (Gombe), Abubakar Sadiq Isah (Abuja), Salim Umar Ibrahim (Kano), Tijjani Ibrahim (Katsina), Mohammed Abubakar (Dutse), Usman Bello (Edo), Victor Edozie (Port Harcourt), Bola Ojuola (Akure), Hassan Ibrahim (Maiduguri) & Ibrahim Baba Saleh (Damaturu)

Daily Trust