See list of winners of PDP governorship primaries on Wednesday

• Delta Speaker, Oborevwori, Adamawa Gov Fintiri, Oyo Gov Makinde, others Win PDP governorship primaries

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries on Wednesday for the 2023 general elections threw up surprises in several states as notable aspirants pulled out of the race before voting commenced. Sitting governors won the party’s tickets for second term re-election, while Speakers of the State House of Assembly in Benue and Delta states won the governorship tickets for the 2023 elections.

In Adamawa State, Governor Umaru Fintiri won the primary election with 663 votes from a total of 668 votes cast, five votes void,

The governor declared this is victory  “a defining moment for our great party in Adamawa State.

“We demonstrated our anger at the way we were governed by the party in power in the state at that time; we made a collective resolution to take back our state from the All Progressives Congress (APC) whose performance in governance was far below any acceptable rating.

“That resolution was what made you entrust the flag of our great party to me as your candidate for the 2019 general elections in the state. I carried the flag with pride and led us to victory in the 2019 election.

“The decision you took could only happen in PDP – a party with deep democratic roots. It is only in PDP that such a decision could be made in an open election where anyone of my political background could emerge as the party’s flagbearer.”

In Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde won the primary conducted at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

The governor had 1,040 votes to defeat the main opponent, Hazeem Gbolarunmi, who had 2 votes; with six votes voided.

The Returning Officer, Ben Obi, represented by Abdullahi MaiBasia, announced Governor Makinde winner of the primary for polling the highest number of votes.

In Ogun State, Segun Sowunmi, was declared winner at a parallel primary election at the Iwe Irohin House, OPIC, Abeokuta.

Sowunmi, a former spokesman for the PDP presidential campaign in 2019, had 554 votes, defeating  Jimi Lawal who had 30, and Ladi Adebutu – 15 votes.

The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Titus Uba, won the PDP ticket at congress held at the Aper Aku Stadium, iMakurdi.

Uba had 731 votes to defeat Deputy Governor Benson Abounu, who had 81 votes.

In Enugu State, a former Commissioner for Finance, Peter Mbah, emerged winner of the PDP governorship primary. A popular aspirant, former President of the Seante, Ike Ekweremadu, had withdrawn from the primary election on Wednesday morning.

In Abia State, Professor Eleazar Ikonne was declared winner of the governorship primary election. The PDP Senate Minority Leader, Enyinaya Abaribe, had pulled out of the congress on Wednesday before voting started.

Professor Ikonne is a former Vice-Chancellor of Abia State University.

The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori, was declared winner of the PDP governorship primary, having polled 590 votes out of 821 valid votes from 824 accredited ad-hoc delegates. He defeated 13 other governorship aspirants in Delta State.

David Edevbie trailed in second place with 113 votes, Senator James Manager was third with 83 votes.

In Rivers, Siminialayi Fubara, former Account-General of the state, won the PDP governorship ticket.

Fubara, from Opobo, had 721 votes defating 15 other aspirants, as former  Commissioner for Finance in Rivers, Isaac Kamalu, trailed in second position with 86 votes,  at the primary held at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.

In Gombe State, Muhammad Barde emerged PDP governorship candidate.

A total of 328 accredited delegates from 11 local government areas and 114 wards of the state partialized in the state congress to vote for the six governorship aspirants.

Barde had 160 votes, to win the PDP ticket, while Jamilu Gwamna had 119 votes.

David Ombugadu, a former member of the House of Representatives, won the primary election in Nasarawa State.

Ombugadu, had 247 votes to defeat Major General Nuhu Angbazo who came second with 202 votes.

Labaran Maku, former Minister of Information, withdrew from the contest before voting commenced.

A former senatorial candidate, Sheriff Abdullahi, won the PDP governorship primary in Yobe State.

The returning officer, Aminu Taura-Abdullahi, chairman of the primary election in Yobe State, announced Abdullahi winner with 295 votes.

Trailing Abdullahi, an aspirant, Abbagana Tata had 109 votes while Ali Tikau had 129 votes. Taura-Abdullahi said 539 delegates were accredited while six votes were invalid.

Former PDP chairman in Taraba State, Kefas Agbu, emerged winner of the governorship primary election in the state.  Kefas won with 443 votes of the 522 accredited votes, defeating four other aspirants. The State Congress was held at the Jolly Nyame Stadium, Jalingo.

Abdullah Yahman won the PDP primary election ion Kwara State. He had 518 votes to defeat Aliyu Ahman-Pategi who had 31 votes, and Professor Yissa Gana who had 14 votes.