Supplementary Elections: APC Banking On High Turnout In Adamawa, Kebbi Governorship Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission will today conduct supplementary elections for the governorship seats in Kebbi and Adamawa states and five senatorial seats in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

The commission will also conduct supplementary polls for 30 federal constituencies seats for the House of Representatives across 15 states.

The states where elections are holding today are Sokoto, Kebbi, Adamawa, Edo, Anambra, Enugu, Plateau, Yobe, Zamfara, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Imo, Kano, Kogi, Oyo, Rivers, Taraba and Zamfara.

Voters in 69 polling units across 20 local governments in Adamawa will decide the fate of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party and his main challenger, Aisha Dahiru of the All Progressives Party in supplementary polls.

INEC had declared the March 18, 2023 governorship poll in the state as inconclusive with Fintiri holding a 31,000-vote lead. 37,000 registered voters have collected their PVCs in the 69 polling units where elections will hold.

To offset the lead, the APC candidates needs a 90 percent voter-turnout and also win a substantial amount of the votes. In the results so far declared, Fintiri has 421,524 votes to Dahiru’s 390,275 votes.

Many of the polling units are however in local governments where the APC had a strong showing in the state assembly elections.

Numan, with 14, has the highest number of polling units where governorship elections will be held. It is however one of the four local governments in the state where supplementary elections will also be held for state assembly seats.

In Yola North, there are three polling units. The APC’s Suleiman Alkali won the state assembly seat there. In Yola South where elections will hold in 6 polling units, APC’s Kabiru Mijinyawa won the state seat.

Eight of the 69 polling units are in Mubi North and Mubi South. The APC’s Paul Samuel won Mubi North, while Sahabi Jauro, also of the APC won Mubi South.

In Machika, where supplementary elections for the governorship seat will be held in seven polling units, Yerima Moses of the PDP won the state assembly seat for the election conducted on March 18, 2023.

Supplementary governorship election will also hold in Kebbi where the PDP’s Aminu Bande, a former army general, is ahead with 388,258, while the APC’s Nasir Idris has 342,980 votes. The number of registered voters who have collected their PVCs in the affected polling units are at least 91, 000.

To win the election, the needs to sweep all the votes if there is a minimum 50 percent voter turnout. A higher voter turnout will however increase the party’s chances of offsetting the 45,000 vote deficit.

In Kebbi State yesterday, INEC said it would conduct the governorship supplementary election scheduled to hold today, Saturday, April 15 in 142 approved designated polling units in the 20 of the 21 local government areas of the state.

National commissioner in charge of voter education and publicity, Mr Festus Okeye, who briefed journalists over the development at INEC headquarters in Birnin Kebbi said three additional resident electoral commissioners have deployed to the state by the national headquarters to assist the resident electoral commissioner in the state for the success of the exercise.

He added that the re-run will also hold in 8 state assemblies, 2 House of Representatives and one senatorial district seats in 23 polling units under Argungu local government area of the state.

Okeye also disclosed that the commission has distributed all sensitive and non-sensitive materials, including BVAS machines to the 20 local government electoral officers for the re-run elections in the state.

He assured that the supplementary elections will hold smoothly without any delay or hitches.

He noted that meetings of stakeholders between INEC and political parties and their candidates were held at Commission’s headquarters in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday and Friday where promises were made to ensure a hitch free re-run poll in the state.

Two Former Speakers, Reps Member Jostle For Reps Rerun In Taraba On Saturday

Two former speakers of Taraba state house of assembly and a member representing Ussa, Takum, Donga federal constituency jostle to win the rerun election for house of representative in Taraba.

Hon. Istifanus Gbana, Mark Bako Useni who served as speakers of the Taraba State House of Assembly and the member representing Ussa, Takum, Donga federal constituency Hon. Liman Shulu are contesting for the supplementary election which was mar with violence in some selected pooling units of Ussa and Takum local government areas during the March 18th 2023 National Elections.

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The election was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, it was subsequently rescheduled on Saturday, 15th April 2023 in the selected polling units.

The results declared by INEC on 20th Monday 2023 shows that APC candidate and former speaker Taraba state house of assembly Mark Useni scored -28, 253 votes.

NNPP, Liman Shaulu, current member representing Ussa, Takum, Donga Takum Federal constituency scored -26,131 while the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party PDP and also former speaker Taraba state house of assembly Hon. Istifanus Gbana pooled -24, 001 in the election.

The margin between Useni and Gbana was -4, 252.

The expected votes from Ussa local government are 8, 343 votes while the expected votes from Takum local government are- 38, 991 votes.

Total Expected Votes to be contested for as declared by INEC are – 47, 344 votes.

The Eaglesforesight gathered that Useni, Gbana and Shaulu were seen at the polling units with Ussa and Takum, showing their might and also wooing voters for the supplementary election.

Both candidates confirm to our correspondent that they were ready to go into the contest, they also urge INEC to provide neutral ground for both parties for even participation.

Supplementary Polls: Tinubu Urges Voters To Eschew Violence

President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has implored voters in Adamawa, Kebbi and other states where supplementary elections are holding to eschew violence and any act that is prejudicial to orderly electoral processes.

INEC will conduct supplementary Governorship Elections in Adamawa and Kebbi states, five Senatorial Districts, and 31 Federal and 58 State Assembly constituencies across 24 states of the federation.

Peter Obi Also:

In a statement he issued yesterday, the president-elect pointed out that the supplementary election is as important as the first set of elections, the Presidential and National Assembly poll which was held on February 25 and the governorship and State Houses of Assembly election held on March 18.

He said, “As the last leg of the 2023 general election, we must ensure that the electoral processes are brought to a final, peaceful conclusion. I urge all Nigerians in areas where the additional polls will take place to eschew violence and conduct themselves in an orderly and peaceful manner.

“We should desist from acts prejudicial to the conduct of orderly polls or that will threaten the very existence of the country. It’s only when there is a country that aspirants to political offices can have seats to contest for and the electorate have people seeking their votes.

“Like the INEC officers, the candidates and the electorate, therefore, have a solemn responsibility in this election. They must ensure that the additional polls are conducted not only freely and fairly, but also devoid of tension, acrimony and violence that will threaten the very fabric that holds the country together.

“I must also use this opportunity to enjoin my All Progressives Congress members and the teeming supporters in the areas listed for the polls to come out in their large numbers to cast their votes for the party’s candidates.

“Our party members and supporters should vote overwhelmingly for APC to complement and solidify the victory we recorded in the earlier polls. This will no doubt help in the effective functioning of government at the federal and state levels for the benefit of our people.

“On this note, I wish INEC, all voters in the various polling units in these elections, the candidates and parties involved a very successful supplementary poll”.