Race for Senate:Aliyu, Oduah, Jang win, Ndoma-Egba, Nenadi out

They are Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi) and Gabriel Suswam (Benue).Reports received at press time showed that three governors – Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Martins Elechi (Ebonyi) – have been muzzled out in the contests by big time politicians with close link to the Presidency.In Cross River, […]

They are Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi) and Gabriel Suswam (Benue).
Reports received at press time showed that three governors – Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Martins Elechi (Ebonyi) – have been muzzled out in the contests by big time politicians with close link to the Presidency.
In Cross River, Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba also lost his bid for a fourth term in the red chamber after he was defeated by Owan-Enoh, a member of House of Representatives, for the Cross River Central Senatorial District seat.
Mr. Owan-Enoh defeated Mr. Ndoma-Egba by 217 votes to 37 while the third aspirant, Mark Egbe, scored 20 votes.
In Kaduna, former minister of finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman has lost the bid to return to the Senate.
Results from the primary which was conducted in Kafanchan showed that Senator Nenadi lost the election to Dr. John Danjuma Laah who polled 129 votes as against Nenadi’s 123 votes.
Meanwhile, Senator Ahmed Makarfi representing Kaduna North Senatorial zone won the primary unopposed, while former Senator Ahmed Mukhtar Aruwa emerged for Kaduna Central after defeating two other aspirants, Ahmadu Inuwa andTalatu Shehu who scored 113 and 28 votes, respectively.
Former aviation minister Stella Oduah equally emerged winner of Anambra North Senatorial zone. She polled 259 votes to defeat serving Senator Margery Okadigbo who got 8 votes.
Chief Sylvester Okonkwo emerged winner for Anambra Central Senatorial District in a keenly contested primary held in Awka.
Declaring the results for Niger North Senatorial District yesterday, the returning officer Tanko Beji said Governor Aliyu polled 281 votes to defeat Adamu Idris Kuta, who got 86 votes.
Senator Zainab Kure and Haladu Agwara have picked the tickets in the two other zones in Niger State.
In Plateau North Senatorial District, Governor Jang polled 273 votes to defeat his only opponent, former Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine, Ibrahim Kasai, who got 18 votes.
Former governor of the state, Senator Joshua Dariye, who recently returned to the PDP, has picked the ticket for the Plateau Central Senatorial District. He polled 104 votes to defeat Alexander Molwus, who got 84 votes, Satty Gogwin and Andrew Abbas who polled 14 votes each, while Emmanuel Go’ar got 12 votes.
The primary for the Plateau South was ongoing as at press time.
Meanwhile, Senate President David Mark and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu were returned unopposed during the primaries held in their respective senatorial districts yesterday.
Mark’s emergence followed the stepping down of his major contender Mike Onoja.
Also in Benue, Governor Suswam succeeded in clinching the ticket for his senatorial district. The incumbent senator Barnabas Gemade withdrew from the race in protest and may decamp to the opposition All Progressives Congress, according to reports.
In Kano, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, who has been at the Senate since 1999, and Senator Bashir Garba Lado were given automatic tickets for Kano North and Kano Central, respectively. Alhaji Abdullahi Sani Rogo emerged for Kano South through a consensus arrangement.
The results in Jigawa State showed that Speaker of the State House of Assembly Ahmed Sarawa scored 290 votes to emerge senatorial candidate for the Jigawa North-East, while Senator Danladi Sankara got the party’s ticket to re-contest for Jigawa North-West. Senator Abdulmumini Zareko, also a serving senator representing Jigawa Central Senatorial district, won his primaries with 291 votes.
In Kebbi State, Governor Dakingari won the Kebbi North senatorial district, while in Kebbi South senatorial zone, Sadik Ahmed Yalwa emerged winner with 264 votes. That of Kebbi Central PDP Senatorial primaries is still undecided as at press time.
In Katsina State, Deputy Governor Abdullahi Garba Faskari, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Umar Yau Gwajo-Gwajo and chairman of Unity Bank, Lamis Dikko, have emerged senatorial candidates for Katsina South, North and Central, respectively.
Deputy senate leader Senator Abdul Ningi was also returned as PDP candidate for Bauchi central senatorial district.
Southwest coordinator, Mobilization Committee of the Goodluck Jonathan for President in 2015, Buruji Kashamu yesterday, won the Ogun East senatorial ticket of the PDP.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, has picked the ticket. He polled 255 out of the 263 total votes cast. Hajiya Ireti Kingibe withdrew from the race.
In Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma representing Orlu senatorial zone has won the ticket to re-contest. In Owerri senatorial zone, a House of Assembly member for Ikeduru constituency Sam Daddy Anwanwu defeated Chief Chris Asoluka and other aspirants.
The result of the primary election for Okigwe zone was being awaited at press time.
In Kwara State, a former special adviser on security matters to former governor Bukola Saraki, Yinka Aluko has picked the ticket for Kwara Central to challenge his former boss.
In Kwara North, former Reps member, Engr. Yinusa Yahaya, secured 108 votes to emerge the PDP candidate, while his opponent, Manzuma Mammah garnered 101 votes.
Results from Kwara South showed that Alhaji Lola Ashiru defeated four other aspirants with 132 votes. He is expected to contest against Hon. Rafiu Ibrahim who is likely to emerge as the APC candidate today.
Results of the primaries in Nasarawa State showed that Senator Suleiman Adokwe has been returned to contests for a third term, after he polled 163 to defeat his challenger, Bala Zakari who polled 46.
Ahmed Wadada, a former member of the House of Representatives, defeated four other contestants including a former senator, Abubakar Sodangi to pick the ticket for Nasarawa West. Wadada polled 136, Sodangi 14, Ishaq Kana, a serving member of the House of Representatives secured only 42. Nelson Sani got one vote, and Bagudu Usman polled 31.
In Kogi State, Senator Smart Adeyemi, representing Kogi West Senatorial district, picked the ticket ahead of his rival Tolorunju.
Declaring the result of the primary election, the returning officer, Segun Ogbonikan said Senator Adeyemi pulled 216 votes out of the 296 total votes cast.
In Zamfara State, the senator representing Zamfara North Senatorial District and the chairman senate committee on land transportation Sahabi Ya’u Kaura was declared winner. Senator Sahabi defeated Col. Bala Mande as he polled 151 votes.
For Zamfara Central Senatorial District, former commissioner of agriculture Malami Aliyu Yandoto picked the ticket unopposed. The other three co- contestants withdrew their candidature to pave way for Malami’s victory.
Election was still holding in Zamfara West senatorial District as at the time filing this report.