Results of Saturday, January 25 re-run elections have revealed the real political or electoral strength of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The performance of the APC and PDP showed a sharp departure from the general election as both parties made in-roads in states where they could not win at the February and March polls.
In Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger and Sokoto where PDP was almost declared persona non-gratta at the general election, at least, for the States and National Assembly polls, the party put an impressive performance at the rerun elections.
Also, APC won the rerun in Cross River and Imo States where PDP maintained firm grip during the general election.
According to election results in Kano State, declared as the home for the APC, Aliyu Yako, the PDP candidate was declared winner of the re-run for Kiru/ Bebeji Federal Constituency with 48,601 votes to defeat Abdulmumin Jibrin of APC who polled 13,507 votes.
The PDP also won the re-run House of Assembly election for Agwara Constituency of Niger State where its candidate, Bello Ahmed polled 5,884 votes to beat 11 other candidates in the election.
In Sokoto State, PDP won all the re-run elections for Sokoto North/Sokoto South and Isa/Sabon-Birni federal constituencies of the State.
PDP candidates, Abubakar Abdullahi of defeated the incumbent APC lawmaker, ABala Hassan of All Progressives with 68,985 votes against 42,433, votes cast to claim Sokoto North/Sokoto South House of Representatives seat while
Sa’idu Bargaja of PDP floored Sani Aminu-Isa of APC with 44,490 against 41,048 to clinch the Isa/Sabon-Birni Federal Constituency seat.
In Bauchi State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the two candidates of the PDP winners of the Gamawa and Zaki federal constituencies’ by-election and supplementary elections
While Auwal Jatau of PDP returned winner of Zaki Federal Constituency of Bauchi State with 15,405 votes against Umar Tata of the APC who got 15,307 votes, Madaki Gololo of PDP scored 21,223 to defeat the candidate of New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) who scored 15,004 votes.
The rerun election in Kaduna produced Comfort Amwe of the PDP as winner of the Sanga constituency seat in the Kaduna State House of Assembly with 19,815 votes, defeating Haliru Gambo-Dangana of the APC who scored 19,688 votes.
On the other hand, in Cross River State, a PDP stronghold, Alex Egbonna of the APC was declared winner of the Yakurr/Abi Federal constituency rerun as he polled 29,716 votes to defeat John Lebo of the PDP, who got 26,039 votes.
In Imo State, the APC emerged victorious in Okigwe North Federal Constituency as its candidate, Miriam Onuoha garnered 23,690 votes to floor Obinna Onwubuariri of the PDP who got 10,010 votes.
It could be observed that the results of the rerun elections were different from what was obtainable at general election because the influence the presidential and governorship candidates had on the general election was reduced during the reruns.
Another possible factor that might have influenced the reruns’ outcome could be the ability of the electoral umpire, INEC and security operatives to perform their roles better than at the general election because of enough manpower to cover few areas.
INEC itself expressed satisfaction with the outcome of reruns as it noted a marked improvement in compliance with its processes and procedures during last Saturday’s rerun elections in 28 constituencies across the nation.
It commended the voters, security agents, the media and election staff for their praiseworthy conduct but condemned violence and irregularities in some States, particularly Akwa Ibom where the polls took place.
Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC) stated this at the end of the Commission’s meeting which reviewed the conduct of Court Ordered Re-run elections.
Okoye however, said, the deviant behaviour by a few persons determined to subvert the people’s will was noticed in a few areas in the course of the elections and these isolated incidents minimally affected the peaceful and orderly exercise in only four (4) of the 28 constituencies where elections were conducted.
He stated that consistent with the Commission’s resolve to sanction electoral bad behaviour, the Commission took the following steps to protect the process:
“In Akwa-Ibom State, where the officials of the Commission were abducted and diverted to an undesignated location and forced to compromise the elections in Essien Udim Local Government Area, all the polling units involved were identified and their results discountenanced.
“In Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, the activities of bandits prevented the Commission from deploying to a few polling units, but the Commission successfully conducted elections and declared results
“In Abi State Constituency of Cross River State, officials of the Commission were abducted and thus prevented from deploying in eight (8) polling units, and all officials of the Commission that were abducted have been rescued and accounted for.”
James Kwen, Abuja
