Photo: Some APC Governorship Candidates

With the conclusion of the gubernatorial primaries of the All Progressives Congress early friday morning, the party’s flag bearers in most states across the country have now emerged.

Former Accountant-General of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode emerged the preffered governorship candidate of the APC in the state early friday morning, thereby putting an end to months of speculation about who succeeds the incumbent governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola in 2015.

After all the ballot papers were sorted and the valid votes counted, the Chairman of the Lagos State Governorship Primary Committee, Chief Peter Obadan formally declared Ambode winner in a poll widely adjudged credible and transparent among observers.

Reeling out the scores, Obadan said he was highly impressed by the people of Lagos State and what the party leadership put in place to ensure a smooth primary election in the most transparent manner.

Obadan disclosed that 5,959 voters were accredited while 5,815 voted, with a valid vote of 5,724 and an invalid vote of 91, noting that since Ambode scored the highest votes, he “is hereby declared winner.”

The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, whose aspiration suffered setback when incumbent Governor Fashola allegedly dropped him for former Attorney-General of the state, Mr. Olasupo Shasore, came second in the keenly contested preliminary election, polling 1201, which represents 21.13 percent.

Shasore, who is Fashola’s preferred candidate ranked a distant fifth in the contest with a paltry 121 votes, representing 2.11 percent. This result laid bare the famed opposition of Fashola to Ambode's candidature. The poor showing of his candidate was attributed to the strong grip Tinubu has on the party's machinery in the state.

As contained in the result, Akinwunmi Ambode scored 3735, Obafemi Hamzat 1201, Ganiyu Solomon 272, Adeyemi Ikuforiji 182, Olasupo Shasore 121, Leke Pitan 112, Tola Kasali 69, Tayo Ayinde 17, Adekunle Disu 7, Adetokunbo Wahab 7, Olarenwaju Ope 0, Abayomi Sutton 0 and Adetokunbo Agbesanya 0.

In his acceptance speech, the governorship candidate expressed gratitude to all the delegates and Lagos residents for their unalloyed support.

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is also among the latest to emerge. His victory in Kaduna State was announced in the early hours of yesterday. El-Rufai polled 1965 to defeat Alhaji Isa Ashiru who polled 1379 votes. Ashiru is a serving member of the House of Representatives.

An elated El-Rufai in his acceptance speech called for all hands to be on deck to ensure they wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Simon Lalong was yesterday declared winner of APC governorship primaries in Plateau State, having polled 2,222 votes to earn the landslide victory over his opponents: Professor Emmanuel Garba, who polled 304 votes; Mr Solomon Dalung got 293; Dr Elijah Maina, polled 50; and Senator Dangin Vinken, who got no vote.

Chairman of the APC Governorship Electoral Committee for the state, Mr. Sunny Moniedafe expressed joy that the primary election was peaceful and called on the other aspirants to rally around Lalong in the interest of the party. He said: “Time will come when the party will hand over the flag to you but for now, the result sheet shows that you are the candidate of our great party in Plateau State.”

Incumbent Kano State Deputy Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje emerged winner of the APC gubernatorial ticket in the state.
Dr. Ganduje scored a total of 5,588 votes of the total votes cast, defeating the only other aspirant, Brig. Gen. Jafaru Isa (rtd.) who got 126 votes.It could be recalled that Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, during a meeting with APC stakeholders in Kano last week, announced that his deputy, Dr. Ganduje, was APC’s preferred candidate for the position of the state governor.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal emerged the APC flag bearer in Sokoto State on Thursday. The state’s Chairman of the party, Alhaji Usman Danmadamin Isa, described the victory of Tambuwal as an act of God and called on the four contestants to accept the result in good faith.

Former Secretary to the  Akwa Ibom State Government (SSG) Umana Okon Umana emerged the governorship candidate of APC in the state on Thursday. He secured 2, 444 votes to become the winner at the primary held at the Uyo township stadium.

As expected, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed emerged on Thursday when about 3,025 delegates of the party in Kwara State affirmed the candidature of the state governor, as the sole governorship candidate of the party.

In Oyo State, incumbent governor Abiola Ajimobi  coasted home to victory as his lone challenger, Dr. Ayobami Lam Adesina, who is the son of late former governor of the state, Alhaji Lam Adesina, could not muster the needed support to threaten Ajimobi’s chance of picking the party's ticket.

The state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State unanimously adopted Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Dakuku Peterside, as its sole candidate for the governorship elections.

Peterside polled 3,773 votes out of the 3,914 votes cast at the primary election.
Ibrahim Gaidam emerged APC flagbearer in Yobe State unopposed while Governor Tanko Almakura was voted APC flagbearer in Nasarawa.

In Borno, incumbent Governor Kashim Shettima was voted the party' flagbearer while in Adamawa State, Senator Muhammad Jibrillah Bindow for the second time became the flagbearer of APC.


Source: ThisDay