Notable among those who secured the tickets of PDP to contest the National Assembly elections were Senate President David Mark for the Benue South senatorial zone, his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu, Senators Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna State and Ahmad Maccido of Sokoto State.
New entrants into the senate race included Governor Gabriel Suswam, who picked the Benue North-east ticket; Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, who won the Abia Central ticket in a solitary contest; former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, who beat Senator Margery Chuba-Okadigbo for the Anambra North ticket; and former Information Minister Frank Nweke (Jr.) of Enugu State.
However, serving senators who lost in the primaries in their states included Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, who lost the Cross River Central ticket to his challenger, Hon. John Owan Enoh, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, four-time Senator Uche Chukwumerijie lost the Abia North senatorial ticket to Chief Mao Ohuabunwa, while former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman lost the Kaduna South senatorial ticket to Dr. John Danjuma Laah.
In Benue, Mark won the ticket when the major contender and former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of defence during General Sani Abacha regime, Chief Mike Onoja, stepped down from the contest at the last minute before the election.
The returning officer who declared the result for Benue South said the primary election in the zone was based on consensus, adding that the party also followed the rules by affirmation. He however declared that Mark polled 384 votes while five were voided.
In Benue North-east, with the withdrawal of the former National Chairman of PDP, Chief Barnabas Gemade, Suswam was given an easy passage as the consensus candidate of the party and was affirmed by the delegates.
From Benue North, a one-time aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Mike Mku,ss won the primary in a keenly contested election. He defeated two other contenders to emerge the winner.
In his acceptance speech, Mark applauded the maturity of Onoja and promised to work towards the development of the zone.
Similarly, Ekweremadu yesterday emerged as the candidate of the PDP for Enugu-west senatorial zone as the party's primary election held at Awgu in Enugu State.
However, his colleague from Enugu-east zone, Senator Gilbert Nnaji was not as lucky as he lost in his bid to return to the senate for a second term. He was defeated at the primary election by the former Chief of Staff to Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo.
But the senatorial primary election came with lots of controversies in Enugu East and Enugu North zones as the aspirants held primaries at different points.
In the primary election held at Ozalla Primary School in Nkanu West zone, former Minister of Information, Nweke, defeated other aspirants scoring 268 votes as against Gilbert Nnaji’s 11; Ifeoma Nwobodo, 1; Everest Nnaji, 3; Nwabueze Okafor, 1; and Sunday Onovo, 6, as announced by the returning officer, Chris Akam.
But at other primaries, which took place at the gymnasium of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Mrs. Nwobodo defeated five other aspirants with 192 votes as against Gilbert Nnaji's 16; Nweke, 4; Everest Nnaji, 4; Nwabueze Okafor, 4; and Sunday Onovo, 10.
The PDP Returning Officer, Mr. Okechukwu Emmanuel Inya, who declared Nwobodo winner, said the former Chief of Staff defeated others in all the six councils that make up the zone.
In Enugu North senatorial zone, a former Commissioner for Transport, Chuka Utazi, emerged as the party's candidate after defeating his opponents, Martins Oke and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo with 327 votes to three and four, respectively.
Speaking after he was declared as the candidate of the party in Enugu West, Ekweremadu whose emergence was as a result of the withdrawal of Governor Sullivan Chime from the race following a truce meeting brokered by President Goodluck Jonathan, described the governor as a gentleman.
On her part, Nwobodo thanked the delegates for reposing confidence in her and pledged not to disappoint the people if eventually elected at the main election.
Similarly, Nweke thanked the delegates for reposing confidence in him.
In Anambra North, former Minister of Aviation, Oduah, polled the highest number of votes over other contenders that included Senator Margery Chuba-Okadigbo.
The result of the election which was held at Nteje, Anambra State yesterday morning showed that Sam Ikefuna got 10 votes; John Emeka, 15 votes, Senator Chuba-Okadigbo, 8 votes, and Oduah, 259. Five votes were invalidated, making it a total of 297, which was the number of voters that were accredited.
PDP stalwarts from the zone said Oduah won the primary election because the people of the zone believed that with her antecedents as a successful business woman and former minister who has played at the national level, she would use her political and business connections to attract development to the zone.
However, Ndoma-Egba suffered a humiliating defeat at the PDP senatorial primaries for the Cross River Central senatorial district.
Ndoma-Egba lost to his challenger, Hon. Owan-Enoh of the House of Representatives.
In what could be regarded as a landslide, Owan-Enoh trounced his challenger by garnering 217 votes as against 37 votes for the Senate Leader. Egbe Mark, who came third, polled 20 votes.
Ndoma-Egba was seeking a return to the senate for the fourth time.
The results of the primaries for the House of Representatives which took place a day earlier also saw the defeat of several of the incumbents from the state.
Hon. Nkoyo Toyo of Odukpani/Calabar Municipal Federal Constituency was defeated by her challenger, Ntufam Etta Mbora, while Hon. Chris Eta of Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency was defeated by Mr. Chris Adibe.
However, Hon. Bassey Ewa of Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency and Daniel Asuquo of Akamkpa/Biase secured return tickets.
Other winners included Mr. Jarigbe Agom of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Mr. Legor Idagbo of Bekwarra, Obanlikwu/Obudu Federal Constituency.
Speaking before the conduct of the primary election, Ndoma-Egba, in Ikom raised the alarm that the process leading to the conduct of the exercise was designed for him to lose.
Ndoma-Egba, who addressed journalists, said: “The primary is clearly staked against me because it is a process. Today’s event is not an event on its own,s it is a culmination of a process that has started with congresses at the wards.
“You will recall the situation in Cross River State where the congresses that were held were favourable to me, but the powers that be thought that it should be cancelled.
“Secondly, the list that we are going to use today did not emerge from any congresses in the field that I am aware of, so I am facing an uphill task, but I am trusting that God’s hand will show at the end of the day.”
The senate leader also complained about the heavy presence of heavily armed, stern-looking riot policemen and soldiers, whom he said prevented most of his supporters from gaining entry into the Ikom Local Government headquarters, venue of the primary election.
In Sokoto, meanwhile, Senator Maccido was granted an automatic return ticket for the Sokoto Central senatorial district by the PDP.
Speaking with newsmen in Sokoto yesterday, the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, disclosed that Maccido was given an automatic ticket by the party to contest for Sokoto Central senatorial zone ticket.
He explained that another contestant for the senatorial election, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji, withdrew from the race last Friday.
Milgoma stated that the delegates from the eight local government areas in the zone had ratified the decision.
The PDP state chairman stated that two aspirants were currently battling for the Sokoto East senatorial zone, namely: Alhaji Dahiru Gandi and Alhaji Yushau Goronyo, while three aspirants were battling for the Sokoto South senatorial zone. They are Ambassador Chika Sarkin-Yaki, Dr. Mahe Dange and Alhaji Kiryo Yabo.
In Kaduna, Senator Usman, however, has lost her bid to return to the National Assembly.
Results from the polls showed that Usman lost the election to Dr. Laah who polled 129 votes as against 123 votes cast for the former finance minister.
The other aspirant in the race is Joseph Gumbari who polled 70 votes.
Senator Makarfi, representing Kaduna North senatorial zone, on the other hand, won his primary unopposed.
In the Kaduna Central zone, which is currently occupied by APC's General Sani Saleh, a one-time senator, Ahmed Mukhtar Aruwa, emerged the standard-bearer of the PDP.
Aruwa polled 156 votes to defeat two other aspirants, Ahmadu Inuwa and Talatu Shehu, who scored 113 and 28 votes, respectively.
Source: ThisDay
New entrants into the senate race included Governor Gabriel Suswam, who picked the Benue North-east ticket; Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, who won the Abia Central ticket in a solitary contest; former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, who beat Senator Margery Chuba-Okadigbo for the Anambra North ticket; and former Information Minister Frank Nweke (Jr.) of Enugu State.
However, serving senators who lost in the primaries in their states included Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, who lost the Cross River Central ticket to his challenger, Hon. John Owan Enoh, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, four-time Senator Uche Chukwumerijie lost the Abia North senatorial ticket to Chief Mao Ohuabunwa, while former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman lost the Kaduna South senatorial ticket to Dr. John Danjuma Laah.
In Benue, Mark won the ticket when the major contender and former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of defence during General Sani Abacha regime, Chief Mike Onoja, stepped down from the contest at the last minute before the election.
The returning officer who declared the result for Benue South said the primary election in the zone was based on consensus, adding that the party also followed the rules by affirmation. He however declared that Mark polled 384 votes while five were voided.
In Benue North-east, with the withdrawal of the former National Chairman of PDP, Chief Barnabas Gemade, Suswam was given an easy passage as the consensus candidate of the party and was affirmed by the delegates.
From Benue North, a one-time aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Mike Mku,ss won the primary in a keenly contested election. He defeated two other contenders to emerge the winner.
In his acceptance speech, Mark applauded the maturity of Onoja and promised to work towards the development of the zone.
Similarly, Ekweremadu yesterday emerged as the candidate of the PDP for Enugu-west senatorial zone as the party's primary election held at Awgu in Enugu State.
However, his colleague from Enugu-east zone, Senator Gilbert Nnaji was not as lucky as he lost in his bid to return to the senate for a second term. He was defeated at the primary election by the former Chief of Staff to Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo.
But the senatorial primary election came with lots of controversies in Enugu East and Enugu North zones as the aspirants held primaries at different points.
In the primary election held at Ozalla Primary School in Nkanu West zone, former Minister of Information, Nweke, defeated other aspirants scoring 268 votes as against Gilbert Nnaji’s 11; Ifeoma Nwobodo, 1; Everest Nnaji, 3; Nwabueze Okafor, 1; and Sunday Onovo, 6, as announced by the returning officer, Chris Akam.
But at other primaries, which took place at the gymnasium of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Mrs. Nwobodo defeated five other aspirants with 192 votes as against Gilbert Nnaji's 16; Nweke, 4; Everest Nnaji, 4; Nwabueze Okafor, 4; and Sunday Onovo, 10.
The PDP Returning Officer, Mr. Okechukwu Emmanuel Inya, who declared Nwobodo winner, said the former Chief of Staff defeated others in all the six councils that make up the zone.
In Enugu North senatorial zone, a former Commissioner for Transport, Chuka Utazi, emerged as the party's candidate after defeating his opponents, Martins Oke and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo with 327 votes to three and four, respectively.
Speaking after he was declared as the candidate of the party in Enugu West, Ekweremadu whose emergence was as a result of the withdrawal of Governor Sullivan Chime from the race following a truce meeting brokered by President Goodluck Jonathan, described the governor as a gentleman.
On her part, Nwobodo thanked the delegates for reposing confidence in her and pledged not to disappoint the people if eventually elected at the main election.
Similarly, Nweke thanked the delegates for reposing confidence in him.
In Anambra North, former Minister of Aviation, Oduah, polled the highest number of votes over other contenders that included Senator Margery Chuba-Okadigbo.
The result of the election which was held at Nteje, Anambra State yesterday morning showed that Sam Ikefuna got 10 votes; John Emeka, 15 votes, Senator Chuba-Okadigbo, 8 votes, and Oduah, 259. Five votes were invalidated, making it a total of 297, which was the number of voters that were accredited.
PDP stalwarts from the zone said Oduah won the primary election because the people of the zone believed that with her antecedents as a successful business woman and former minister who has played at the national level, she would use her political and business connections to attract development to the zone.
However, Ndoma-Egba suffered a humiliating defeat at the PDP senatorial primaries for the Cross River Central senatorial district.
Ndoma-Egba lost to his challenger, Hon. Owan-Enoh of the House of Representatives.
In what could be regarded as a landslide, Owan-Enoh trounced his challenger by garnering 217 votes as against 37 votes for the Senate Leader. Egbe Mark, who came third, polled 20 votes.
Ndoma-Egba was seeking a return to the senate for the fourth time.
The results of the primaries for the House of Representatives which took place a day earlier also saw the defeat of several of the incumbents from the state.
Hon. Nkoyo Toyo of Odukpani/Calabar Municipal Federal Constituency was defeated by her challenger, Ntufam Etta Mbora, while Hon. Chris Eta of Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency was defeated by Mr. Chris Adibe.
However, Hon. Bassey Ewa of Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency and Daniel Asuquo of Akamkpa/Biase secured return tickets.
Other winners included Mr. Jarigbe Agom of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Mr. Legor Idagbo of Bekwarra, Obanlikwu/Obudu Federal Constituency.
Speaking before the conduct of the primary election, Ndoma-Egba, in Ikom raised the alarm that the process leading to the conduct of the exercise was designed for him to lose.
Ndoma-Egba, who addressed journalists, said: “The primary is clearly staked against me because it is a process. Today’s event is not an event on its own,s it is a culmination of a process that has started with congresses at the wards.
“You will recall the situation in Cross River State where the congresses that were held were favourable to me, but the powers that be thought that it should be cancelled.
“Secondly, the list that we are going to use today did not emerge from any congresses in the field that I am aware of, so I am facing an uphill task, but I am trusting that God’s hand will show at the end of the day.”
The senate leader also complained about the heavy presence of heavily armed, stern-looking riot policemen and soldiers, whom he said prevented most of his supporters from gaining entry into the Ikom Local Government headquarters, venue of the primary election.
In Sokoto, meanwhile, Senator Maccido was granted an automatic return ticket for the Sokoto Central senatorial district by the PDP.
Speaking with newsmen in Sokoto yesterday, the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, disclosed that Maccido was given an automatic ticket by the party to contest for Sokoto Central senatorial zone ticket.
He explained that another contestant for the senatorial election, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji, withdrew from the race last Friday.
Milgoma stated that the delegates from the eight local government areas in the zone had ratified the decision.
The PDP state chairman stated that two aspirants were currently battling for the Sokoto East senatorial zone, namely: Alhaji Dahiru Gandi and Alhaji Yushau Goronyo, while three aspirants were battling for the Sokoto South senatorial zone. They are Ambassador Chika Sarkin-Yaki, Dr. Mahe Dange and Alhaji Kiryo Yabo.
In Kaduna, Senator Usman, however, has lost her bid to return to the National Assembly.
Results from the polls showed that Usman lost the election to Dr. Laah who polled 129 votes as against 123 votes cast for the former finance minister.
The other aspirant in the race is Joseph Gumbari who polled 70 votes.
Senator Makarfi, representing Kaduna North senatorial zone, on the other hand, won his primary unopposed.
In the Kaduna Central zone, which is currently occupied by APC's General Sani Saleh, a one-time senator, Ahmed Mukhtar Aruwa, emerged the standard-bearer of the PDP.
Aruwa polled 156 votes to defeat two other aspirants, Ahmadu Inuwa and Talatu Shehu, who scored 113 and 28 votes, respectively.
Source: ThisDay
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