APC maintains lead in Reps with 134 seats

By Saawua Terzungwe (Abuja), Titus Eleweke (Awka), Bassey Willie (Yenagoa), Iniabasi Umo (Uyo) & Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto)

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has maintained its majority strength in the House of Representatives as results of last Saturday’s supplementary elections trickle in.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had conducted the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25, but declared the National Assembly elections in some states inconclusive and later fixed April 15 for the supplementary polls.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had announced after the February 25 elections that elections into 423 of the 469 national legislative seats were concluded and results declared. He said 325 of the 360 seats were declared for the House of Representatives.

Yakubu said in the House of Representatives, the APC had won 162 seats of the 325 seats declared while PDP won 102. He added that the LP and NNPP had 34 and 18 seats respectively, APGA four seats, ADC and SDP two each while YPP got one seat.

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The INEC helmsman disclosed that supplementary elections would be held in 46 constituencies to complete the National Assembly seats.

As of the time of filing this report yesterday following the results of last Saturday’s supplementary elections declared so far, APC had won 174 seats to maintain its lead in the house. The PDP came second with 107 seats, LP 35, NNPP 19, and APGA 5 seats.

The embattled Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Alhasan Ado Doguwa, was finally declared winner of Tudunwada/ Doguwa Federal Constituency, for a record fifth term, in the supplementary poll.

The Returning Officer, Professor Sani Ibrahim, while announcing results of the supplementary election said Doguwa polled 41,573, while his closest rival, Yushau Salisu of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), scored 34,831 votes.

Similarly, the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate, Barrister Muhammad Bello Shehu, popularly called MB Shehu, has been declared winner of the Fagge Federal Constituency of Kano State.

Hon Shehu defeated the incumbent House of Representatives member in the constituency, Aminu Sulaiman Goro of the APC who is serving his 3rd term at the National Assembly.

In Anambra State, candidate of Labour Party (LP) for Ogbaru Federal Constituency election, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, has been declared winner.

In Sokoto, a 32-year-old student unionist, Bashir Usman Gorau, has defeated Musa S Adar, incumbent member representing Gada-Goronyo Federal Constituency.

Gorau, who contested on the platform of the PDP, is the immediate past Commissioner of Youth and Sport in Sokoto. He polled 29,679 votes to defeat Adar of the APC who scored 25,549 votes.

In Jigawa State, INEC has declared Mr Sani Nazifi of the APC as winner of Saturday’s supplementary election.

Nazifi, who represents Gumel-Gagarawa-Suletankar-Maigatar Federal Constituency, won the seat for the second time.

Similarly, in Bayelsa, INEC has declared Rodney Ambaiowei of the PDP as winner of the rerun election in the Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency.

According to the result declared by the Returning Officer, Professor Christopher Onyema, the PDP candidate polled a total of 13,992 votes to defeat the incumbent, Hon. Preye Oseke of the APC, who scored 12,992 votes to come second.

The commission also declared the candidate of the APC, Obein Godknows, as the winner of the supplementary polls for the Ogbia Constituency 2 in the state house of assembly.

In Ebonyi State, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has won the rerun election for Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Augustine Ibegbu of Alex Ekwueme University, declared APGA candidate, Joseph Nwobashi as winner of the poll.

Ibegbu said Nwobashi won with 11,890 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Emmanuel Nwite of PDP, who got 11,150 votes and Mr Chinedu Oguta of Labour Party, who garnered 8,076 votes.

However, candidate of the APC for Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Clement Jimbo, has been declared winner of the election.

Jumbo polled 22, 225 votes to defeat the incumbent, Mr Aniekan Umanah of the PDP, who scored 20,793 votes during the supplementary elections.

The APC has also won eight House of Representatives’ seats in Sokoto State.

According to the results, PDP won Tambuwal/Kebbe, Yabo/Shagari and Gada/Goronyo federal constituencies.

The APC won Sokoto South-Sokoto North, Wurno-Rabah, Kware-Wamakko, Silame-Binji, Bodinga-Dange Shuni-Tureta, Gudu-Tangaza and Gwadabawa-Illela federal constituencies.