2019 Polls: Highlights of top surprises

The 2019 general elections so far has sprung up major surprises in Nigeria especially in the National Assembly as results from various states are gradually trickling in.

Many top politicians expected to have won in their respective states would not make it into the two legislative chambers, according to the results so far announced.

The major announcement is that of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who lost in all four local government areas in his Kwara Central senatorial district to APC candidate, Ibrahim Oloriegbe.

Oloriegbe polled a total of 123, 808 votes against Saraki’s 68, 994.

Also, Saraki failed to deliver Kwara for Atiku Abubakar as APC won with a margin of 170,180 votes

ND has gathered names of senators who lost their seat and would not be members of the ninth National Assembly:

Shehu Sani

Sani, the senator representing Kaduna Central who had fallen out with the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and joined the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) lost his chance to return to the Senate.

He lost his Kaduna Central Senatorial Seat to Uba Sani, the candidate of the APC who scored 355,242 votes. Shehu Sani scored 70,613

Godswill Akpabio

Akpabio dumped the PDP for APC and going by the results declared so far, he appears to have lost in the National Assembly elections.

Akpabio, the candidate of the APC in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district, lost to Chris Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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He polled 67, 487 while Chris polled 136, 373.

Ibrahim Dankwambo

Dankwambo, the governor of Gombe State was defeated by the candidate of the APC, Sa’idu Alkali.

Umar Gurama, the INEC returning officer for the senatorial election in Gombe, announced that Alkali scored 152,546 votes while Dankwambo got 88,016 votes.

Dankwambo was defeated in four out of the five LGAs in the District including his LGAs which is Gombe.

Abiola Ajimobi

Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress, APC, lost his senatorial ambition on Saturday to the opposition candidate, Kola Balogun, of the PDP.

Ajimobi polled a total of 92,217 votes while his opponent polled 105,720

Andy Uba

Andy lost his Anambra South Senatorial seat to the candidate of the Young Progressive Party, YPP in the Saturday’s National Assembly elections, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.

Dr. Ubah who polled 87,081 votes defeated the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, All Progressives Congress, APC, All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chiefs Chris Ubah, Andy Ubah, Nicholas Ukachukwu, who polled 52,462, 13,245 and 51,269 votes, respectively.

Rabiu Kwankwaso

According to results announced so far, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso (PDP, Kano Central) has lost his senatorial seat.

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Announcing the result in Madobi, the Returning Officer, Dr. Sani Umar declared that APC won 23,731 votes in the senatorial district, while PDP got 15,913 and PRP scored 553.

In Tofa local government, INEC returning officer,Dr. Abdulkadir said APC got 18,412 votes in the senatorial poll, PDP 8,548 and PRP 2,100 votes.

In Garun-Malam Local Government, Dr. Abdulkadir said APC got 18,412 votes in the senatorial poll and PDP 8,548

George Akume

Akume, the All Progressives Congress candidate for Benue North-West (Zone ‘B’) Senatorial elections is already known to have lost in 5 out of the 7 local government areas of the zone.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, through its publicity secretary, Bemgba Iortyom disclosed this, adding that Akume resorted to ballot snatching as a last-ditch move of desperation in the forlorn hope of clinging to the seat he has occupied over the last 12 years.

However, among the high profile senators, returning are Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Dino Melaye, Aliyu Wamako(Sokoto),

Other Major highlights of the 2019 presidential election are;

Turnout in Yobe

Crisis sprung up in Yobe few days to the election after gunmen attacked some villages in the state, however, this did not deter electorates as they turned out in their numbers to cast their votes on Saturday.

President Buhari, however, defeated Atiku, securing 497,914 against the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate who scored 50,763

Buhari vs Atiku in Benue

Benue, a state which has been heralded with herdsmen attacks shocked Nigerians as they polled 347,668 votes for Buhari.

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However, Atiku Abubakar polled 355,255votes in Benue, defeating Buhari with a margin of 7,587votes

Lagos

The fight for supremacy in Lagos state took another dimension on Saturday as the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu on Saturday delivered his polling unit for Buhari.

Although the election in Lagos was marred by violence in some local government areas, Tinubu delivered Lagos to Buhari

Atiku had 448,016 votes while Buhari won in Lagos with 580,814 votes defeating PDP candidate with a margin of 132,798. This was not without a serious battle.

Votes shared in the South West

PDP candidate, Atiku polled a massive vote against President Muhammadu Buhari in South East and South West where he defeated the incubent with a wide margin. Ebonyi, Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Imo, Akwa Ibom and others had the same story.

So far, President Muhammadu Buhari has showcased his strength in the Northern part of the country. The APC presidential candidate has so far defeated Atiku Abubakar with insurmountable votes in the region. While Buhari defeated Atiku in seven northern states, Atiku won in three northern states as at the time this report was being filed.