Sanwo-Olu Declared Winner of Lagos Gubernatorial Elections by INEC; Protest Erupts as APC’s Binani Appears to Lose Adamawa Gubernatorial Election to Thugs | 5 Things That Should Matter Today

  • Sanwo-Olu Declared Winner of Lagos Gubernatorial Elections by INEC
  • INEC Promises to Take Strong Action Against Proven Election Irregularities
  • Protest Erupts as APC’s Binani Appears to Lose Adamawa Gubernatorial Election to Thugs
  • Dikko Radda Emerges as Governor-Elect of Katsina
  • Reports of Attack on Igbos in Abule Ado, Prompting Police Response

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss:

Sanwo-Olu Declared Winner of Lagos Gubernatorial Elections by INEC

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been re-elected in Lagos State.

He polled a total of 762,134 votes, defeating Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party who scored 312,329 votes, followed by Abdul-Azeez Adediran aka Jandor with 62,449 votes.

Sanwo-Olu was declared the winner at 1:15 am on Monday morning, almost 48 hours after the electoral exercise commenced.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results at the commission’s state collation centre, but not without the LP collation agent condemning the exercise.

The election was marked by voter suppression, ethnic discrimination, political thuggery, and physical attacks on voters, electoral staff and security personnel alike.

Amid the reports, state Commissioner of Police Idowu Owohunwa had assured Lagosians that security personnel deployed for the election were responding promptly to the cases, saying “a lot of arrests” and “recoveries” had been made.

Moments after INEC’s declaration, Sanwo-Olu, in his acceptance speech, said Lagosians had made their voices heard.

“To all of our fellow contestants, we want to salute you for participating in the democratic process, but Lagosians have spoken and have spoken well. They have spoken loud.,” he said.

“Please remember that we’re extending a hand of fellowship to you, no victor, no vanquished. In the true spirit of sportsmanship, if you indeed believe that you want to serve this state, you have an opportunity with us and we will open our doors to listen and to give you a space in this government.”

He also spoke out against the identity politics that became commonplace in the lead-up the polls last Saturday.

“During this campaign, unfortunately, we have seen very divisive rhetoric which is not a definition of who we are,” he said.

“So, Lagosians, we need to come together and further rebuild the capacity, the competence, and the experience that we have in this city. Religion should not divide us, ethnicity will not divide us. Lagos will come out bigger, stronger, and better.”

INEC Promises to Take Strong Action Against Proven Election Irregularities

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to address proven irregularities in the just concluded governorship and state assembly elections across the country.

The Commission gave the assurance on Sunday through its National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, who addressed the press in Abuja.

Noting that circumstances beyond the Commission’s control impacted some of the processes, he lamented that some INEC staff were victims of violence, harassment, abduction, and the death of one.

Okoye assured the public that the Commission was keeping its eye on areas where elections did not hold.

The INEC National Commissioner also noted some improvement in Saturday’s elections, saying that majority of the polling units nationwide opened on schedule and citizens were attended to promptly.

Similarly, he noted that there was improved voter authentication using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) while the uploading of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) witnessed a remarkable improvement.

Having earlier alerted the nation of invasion of our Obingwa Local Government Area office in Abia State by thugs during the collation of results for the Governorship and State Assembly elections, the Commission said it does not take the patience of citizens for granted and would continue to take steps to protect the integrity of the vote and consolidate the progress made so far in the electoral process.

Protest Erupts as APC’s Binani Appears to Lose Adamawa Gubernatorial Election to Thugs

Thugs, in the wee hours of Monday, went wild in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, smashing cars and inflicting injuries on motorists and other passersby.

The youths who had expected that the APC governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani would be declared governor-elect, had taken to the street after the failure of their expectation.

The thugs who had gone on celebration earlier in the evening, proclaiming that Binani had won the election, had become angry hours later, around midnight, and had turned against motorists and other residents who happened to run into them.

Incidentally, many of their victims were supporters of Binani, including Senator Binta Massi, whose car was damaged and had bruises inflicted on her by the thugs when she drove through them.

Senator Binta who was the state pioneer chairman of APC and was in the Senate between 2015 and 2019 under the APC, had walked into the INEC collation Centre on Bank Road, Jimeta, to seek assistance of the security men at the centre after the attack by the thugs.

This was a little after midnight when the collation centre had already closed proceedings till later in the morning for officials to sort out issues around the only remaining LGA to be collated, Fufore.

The rumour had gone round earlier Sunday evening when three LGAs still remained to be collated that Binani had won the governorship election, a rumour which apparently emanated from a false result sheet indicating Binani’s purported victory.

Contrastingly, with those three LGAs initially pending and after two more LGAs were announced to leave just one pending, Fintiri actually remained in a slight lead, and Binani would need 34,669 superior vote difference in the remaining Fufore LGA to arrive at votes that can equal Fintiri”s total votes so far.

Dikko Radda Emerges as Governor-Elect of Katsina

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Katsina State, Dr. Dikko Radda, has been declared the winner of Saturday’s election.

Radda scored 859,892 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Senator Yakubu Danmarke, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who polled a total of 486,620
votes.

The State Returning Officer for the election, Professor Mu’azu Gusau, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Gusau, announced the result on Sunday at about 8:56 pm at the Governorship Election Collation Centre, Katsina.

The total votes cast stand at 1,386, 427, valid votes stand at 1,365,848 whereas the rejected votes were 20, 579.

According to Professor Gusau, registered voters stand at 3,516,719 while accredited voters stand at 1,399,291.

Meanwhile, the New Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NNPP) polled 8,263 votes, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) scored 4,226 votes, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) got 1,049 votes.

The Labour Party (LP) had 560 votes and the National Rescue Movement (NRM) scored 896 votes and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled 132 votes.

Reports of Attack on Igbos in Abule Ado, Prompting Police Response

An attack on Igbos has been reported in the Abule Ado area of Lagos State, though the police have countered.

The incident occurred hours after the governorship and house of assembly took place in most parts of the state.

A trending video shows two young Igbo men being carried into a vehicle after they were allegedly wounded by suspected political thugs.

Located near Festac Town in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, Abule Ado has a large population of Southeasterners.

Reacting, Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the security agency has restored normalcy.

The spokesperson said an intra-community fight broke out in the area earlier this morning resulting in destruction to property.

“Owing to the timely arrival of the police, no life was lost and no property was razed as widely claimed

“Two persons have been arrested and investigation has commenced into the matter. Police officers remain on ground to prevent further breakdown of law and order,” the PRO added.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail