•YPP floors Soludo’s APGA in Anambra

•Ex-IG son’s victory excites Aiyedatiwa

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has retained its dominance in the Senate with victory in Saturday’s by-elections in Ebonyi South and Yobe East districts.

The party has 59 Senators. It is trailed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 37 senators; the Labour Party (LP) seven; the Social Democratic Party (SDP), two; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), two; and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), one.

Plateau North Senatorial District is outstanding.

According to results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC won the two senatorial seats in Yobe East where Musa Mustapha was declared winner and in Ebonyi South where Prof. Anthony Ani beat his opponents.

Ani won with 46,270 votes, defeating his closest rival, Ifeanyi Eleje of APGA who garnered 3,513.

Silas Onu of the PDP polled 2,783 votes and Mr Linus Okorie of the LP scored 2,710 votes.

Mustapha scored 68,778 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Aji Kolomi of PDP who had 18,878 votes.

However, the rerun was inconclusive in Jos North Senatorial District where INEC said it would conduct fresh poll in 16 units.

In Kano State, the ruling NNPP won two House of Assembly seats, thereby maintaining its hold on the grassroots.

The YPP, which produced Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in last year’s election, floored APGA in Anambra. The party also won House of Representatives seats in Ebonyi State.

Mustapha will take the seat vacated by Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, who is now Minister of Police Affairs.

Mustapha was Commissioner for Transportation and Energy in the State before his election.

Ani will replace Dave Umahi who is now minister of Works.

The APC won the House of Representatives by-elections in Surulere I, Lagos State with Fuad Laguda and Akoko North West/NorthEast Constituency, Ondo State with the victory by Ifeoluwa Ehindero. In the rerun poll in Kaduna, Gabriel Saleh Zock won the Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency seat.

Fresh polls in Jos North’s 16 polling units

Plateau State Resident Electoral Commissioner Oliver Adungu said INEC will conduct fresh polls in 16 polling units in Jos North District and Bassa Federal constituency.

He said the ballot papers for the 16 polling units were missing at the weekend, adding that the matter was referred to security agencies for investigation.

The REC said the Returning Officer, Fred Ogboji, had been suspended.

Adungu told Ogboji: “You are directed to step aside from office to enable the commission to carry out proper investigation and circumstances that led to the missing of House of Representatives ballot papers in 16 polling units in your Local Government.

“You are further directed to handover to Elekwa Onyemauche, the Local Government Supervisor, and the two RA supervisors of Tudun Wada – Kapong Naraguta B (E.O Shendam and E.O Kanke Local Government Areas respectively) to coordinate and complete the remaining process.”

Ehindero’s son wins in Akoko constituency

Ifeoluwa, son of former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, won the House of Representatives seat for Akoko Northwest/Akoko Northeast Federal constituency.

The APC candidate polled 35,504 votes to defeat his rival, Olalekan Bada of the PDP, who got 15,328 votes.

The returning officer, Prof. Johnson Fasinmirin, who declared Ehindero winner, said the total votes cast were 51,896; valid votes 51,341 and rejected votes, 555.

Spokesman for the Ondo PDP, Kennedy Peretei, had boasted that PDP would use the by-election to show the world that the party was still kicking and alive in the state.

The Chairman of APC, Ade Adetimehin, said the outcome of the poll was a confirmation that the PDP has become extinct in the state.

Adetimehin said: “Our victory is for the people. It is a confirmation that the APC remained the only political party in Ondo State.

“We campaigned and the people believed Ehindero will follow the footsteps of Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to bring dividends of democracy to them.” (The Nation)

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