Senate: APC secures 59 seats, PDP 36, LP 8, NNPP 2, SDP 2

By Abdullateef Salau (Abuja), Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto) & Shehu Umar (Gusau)

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has maintained its majority of the Senate, having won additional four seats after last Saturday’s supplementary poll.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), weekend, conducted supplementary elections in seven senatorial districts of Yobe, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Plateau states, which were earlier declared inconclusive.

The ruling APC had secured 55 seats after the February 25 parliamentary election, making it 59 senators elected on the APC platform.

At least eight political parties will be represented in the 10th National Assembly, making it one of the most diverse in the history of the federal legislature.

• Buhari preaches sacrifice at Bola Ajibola’s fidau prayers
• Entrepreneurship Success – Change management (I)

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured 36 seats, Labour Party (LP) eight, and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) two.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) won two Senate seats, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got one seat each.

PDP’s Bilbis trounces Marafa in Zamfara Central

The candidate of PDP, Aliyu Ikira Bilbis, defeated APC’s Kabiru Marafa in the race for Zamfara central senatorial seat.

Bilbis scored 102, 866 votes to defeat Marafa, who polled 91,216 votes.

Marafa is the only APC candidate to lose the senatorial seat in Zamfara. The other two seats were won by APC’s Abdulaziz Yari and Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u

Wamakko defeats Sokoto dep gov

Senator Aliyu Wamakko has defeated the incumbent deputy governor of Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, to retain his Sokoto-North seat at the Senate.

Wamakko scored 141,468 while Dan’iya got 118,445 after the supplementary election.

Wamakko, a two-term governor of the state and leader of APC has been in the Senate since 2015.

Also, the candidate of APC, Ibrahim Lamido, won the Sokoto East senatorial seat.

Lamido defeated Shu’aibu Gwanda Gobir of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Tambuwal cinches Sokoto South seat

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has won the Sokoto South Senatorial election.

Tambuwal defeated the incumbent senator and APC candidate, Ibrahim Danbaba Dambuwa.

Tambuwal scored 100,860 votes while Danbaba polled 95,884 votes.

APC wins Yobe South, Plateau Central

Senator Ibrahim Bomai of APC also retained his Yobe South senatorial seat after the Saturday supplementary election.

INEC Returning Officer, Dr Abatcha Melemi of the Federal University Gashua, said Bomai scored 69,596 votes to defeat Mr Halilu Mazagane of PDP, who scored 68,885 votes.

He said that Yerima Adamu of ADC scored 652 votes, while Jauro Ishaku of LP scored 471 votes.

Melemi said Isa Musa NNPP scored 3,277 votes while Maisambo Barde of YPP scored 448 votes.

In Plateau, APC’s Diket Plang won the Plateau Central senatorial election.

The Returning Officer Dr. Jima Lar, said Hon Plang scored a total vote of 131,129 to emerge the winner.

He said Plang’s closest challenger, Yohanna Gotom, of PDP came second with 127,022 votes, while Garba Pwul of the Labour Party came third with 36,510 votes.

“Hon Diket Plang having scored the highest votes at the election and having satisfied the requirements of the law has been declared the winner of the Plateau State Central Senatorial zone and returned elected,” the Returning Officer pronounced.

Recall that INEC had in March declared the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Kelvin Chukwu, as the winner of the senatorial poll for Enugu East.

Chukwu polled 69,136 votes to beat the incumbent lawmaker and former governor of the state, PDP’s Chimaroke Nnamani, who scored 48,701 votes.

Kelvin replaced his brother, Oyibo Chukwu, who was murdered a few days before the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

The result for Kebbi North senatorial seat is yet to be confirmed as of press time last night.