PDP guber primaries: Violence in Gombe, parallel exercise in Borno, Ogun; Ikpeazu, Dan-iya, Ishaku, Umahi, Ayade, Wike, Ugwuanyi, Makinde, Nasko, Emmanuel emerge candidates

The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) governorship primaries  in Gombe State, which began peacefully on Sunday, could not be completed due to violence that erupted during the casting of votes.
The election commenced around 8:30 p.m. and the violence erupted  barely 30 minutes after the commencement.
The action was triggered by delegates who suspected that a government official was manipulating votes.
The election venue was at the Banquet Hall  Government House, Gombe.
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, Deputy Governor Charles Iliya and other party officials had earlier cast their votes and left the venue before the incident.
Security agents were not able to prevent the situation from escalating while the electoral committee went into a meeting behind closed door.
In Borno, the party held parallel primaries to elect candidates to contest the 2019 governorship election in the state.
Separate congresses were held by two factions of the party to elect the party’s flag-bearers.
The Usman Baderi’s faction held their exercise at the secretariat with only two candidates, Muhammed Wakil and Alhaji Bukar Kyari, contesting the election.
Wakil, a former Minister of State Works, said they held separate primaries because they were opposed to the conduct of the election by Zanna Gadama’s faction.
He alleged that Gadama’s faction abused earlier court order, describing the exercise as  “null and void”.
Wakil claimed that the Court of Appeal had ruled in favour of Baderi as the recognised chairman of the party.
“What the other faction is doing is illegality of the highest order because we are the ones legally recognised by the court of law. So we are conducting election and submitting result to the national body.
“If they see reasons to accept the result fine, and if they dont, I am sure some of us remember the case of Rotimi Ameachi.
“You cannot just build something out of nothing and expect it to stay. The issue of impunity and illegality has to stop in the country, political parties have to behave.
“You cannot come out one day and start blaming the other party when you are also guiding  impunity,” he said.
On his part, Kyari lamented that the national working committee of the party chose to recognised an illegal faction despite existing court order.
Kyari said, “We as law abiding citizens will not indulge in illegalities, we shall seek redress in competent court of law for our rights.
“Therefore, we will conduct our elections here. We will invite INEC to monitor it and then come up with the authentic delegates that have been elected this October,” he added.
However, Gadama said his faction had secured a court injunction, which ordered that the status quo be maintained.
Gadama said that the state PDP remains the authentic party in the state that should hold primary elections.
“The national PDP secretariat recognises only one PDP in Borno, which is the one I am currently heading as a Chairman.
“This is why they sent the INEC officials and other observers to come and monitor the elections we are currently conducting.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Muhammad Imam, emerged winner of the election.
Declaring the result, Gabriel Kataf, the Chairman Electoral Committee, said Imam scored 2, 685 votes and his closest opponent Kyari scored 52 while Wakil scored 22 votes.
In Sokoto State, former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Manir Dan-iya, has emerged winner of the governorship primary election.
The Returning Officer, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, declared Dan-iya, a sole candidate, winner of the election on Sunday in Sokoto after he scored 2,175 votes.
Yuguda said the election was hitch free adding that 2,490 delegates were screened, out of which Dan-iya emerged winner with 2,175 lawful votes.
The election was witnessed by the former and the serving Sokoto State Governors and PDP presidential candidates, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and Aminu Tambuwal respectively.
Others are Senator Ibrahim Danbaba, Ambassador Abdallah Wali and four House of Representatives members.
The election was also observed by security operatives.
In Ogun, two factions held parallel governorship primaries in Abeokuta.
The group recognised by the National body of the PDP held its primaries at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) where Hon. Ladi Adebutu emerged as the candidate.
Adebutu, who is representing the Remo/North Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives was the sole aspirant of the group.
He emerged after all the 2,369 delegates from the three Senatorial District of the state voted overwhelmingly for him.
The exercise was supervised by a five-man Electoral Committee from the National Headquarters headed by Capt. Mike Hart (rtd).
In his opening remarks, Hart described the PDP as “a rebranded party in Ogun’’ adding further the party had learnt from its past mistakes.
He encouraged all PDP members to brace up for the task ahead of ensuring the party won the governorship seat.
On his part, Adebutu expressed satisfaction on the transparent manner the exercise was conducted, adding that he was elated with his selection as the party flag bearer.
Similarly, Mr Adeleke Shittu emerged as the governorship candidate of the party in a parallel exercise organised by Senator Buruji Kasamu.
Kasamu has been expelled by the National body of PDP following issues surrounding misconduct and anti-party activities.
Mr Bayo Dayo, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Kasamu-led faction, said the exercise conducted by the group was authentic.
“The law is on our side until the judgement we had in 2016 is set aside.
“We have a judgement that compels the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept only candidates that emerge from primaries conducted by our group.
“The other faction had tried twice to set the judgement aside but the Court of Appeal had dismissed their appeal.
“We do know that the National body does not recongise our group but I am sure that eventually, the rule of law will prevail because Nigeria’s constitution supersedes the party’s constitution,” he said.
Shittu, however, said the exercise that led to his emergence was a major step in the party’s preparation for the 2019 polls.
He said PDP was determined to take over Ogun, adding that he would help the party to actualise that set goal.
In Taraba State, Governor Darius Ishaku emerged as the candidate.
Alhaji Idris Wada, the former governor of Kogi and Chairman of the Taraba PDP governorship primary Election Committee, declared Ishaku winner at the end of voting by delegates to the election.
Wada explained that 2,000 delegates were accredited for the primaries while 1,928 votes were cast for Ishaku, who was the sole aspirant of the party.
The Chairman commended the delegates for the peaceful conduct during the election.
“I want to commend you all the delegates to this election for your peaceful and orderly conduct,” he said.
Reacting to the victory,  Ishaku thanked the PDP family in the state for the confidence repose in him.
He pledged to redouble his efforts at developing the state if re-elected at the general elections.
“It is not easy to be a sole aspirant for governorship in a party like PDP, but because of the confidence you have in me,  it has happened,” he said.
Mr Victor Bala, the Taraba PDP chairman noted that with the successful conduct of the primaries, the party was poised to continue to govern the state beyond 2019.
In Ebonyi, Governor David Umahi emerged the candidate of the party.
Umahi emerged the sole aspirant for the office in the absence of any other contestant.
Announcing the result, the Chairman of the panel, Senator Joy Emordi, said Umahi polled 1988 votes to emerge as the party’s flag bearer.
She said that despite the fact that Umahi was a sole aspirant for the position, the decision to go into normal election was based on the party internal democracy.
Emordi said it would also enable INEC to monitor the proceedings.
The onetime senator, who expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the congress, described the exercise as `orderly, peaceful and organized’.
In his acceptance speech, Umahi said he was humbled by the show of solidarity and commitment of the members of PDP and the Ebonyi people in general which had enabled him to achieve monumental development in the state within three years in office.
The candidate said the party flag given to him to run on its platform for the next four years as governor was a call to serve and do more work.
He said that his first tenure had been memorable and witnessed unprecedented development and pledged to do more if elected for a second term.
Umahi thanked the leadership of the party at levels for providing a level playing field for all aspirants to contest in all the positions.
In Abia State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu won with 1,991 votes.
The exercise was held in Umuahia, the state capital.
Former National Chairmanship aspirant, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, was sent from Abuja by the National Working Committee (NWC) to oversee the event.
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State emerged the governorship candidate of the party through affirmation by delegates.
Ayade was announced as the candidate by the PDP panel Chairman, Mr Olorogun Tebite, who conducted the primaries.
Tebite said that Ayade was the only aspirant of the party in the state and explained that the delegates had to vote in order to complete due process in line with the electoral law.
He commended the delegates for their orderly behaviour during the primaries.
Responding after his election, Ayade thanked delegates from across the 18 local government areas and said that his endorsement was an evidence of his good works in the state.
“If given the second term mandate I would do more in the areas of industrialization and job creation.
“I urge you all to vote PDP in 2019 election at all levels to ensure continuity in governance,” he said.
In Rivers, Governor Nyesom Wike emerged victorious.
Wike, while making an acceptance speech after emerging victorious, thanked the delegates for electing him.
He said that he would not disappoint the people for placing their confidence in him after the general elections in 2019.
The governor said that he had embarked upon so such infrastructure development to improve the state.
He noted that he had upgraded educational facilities in the state to raise the standard of education.
Wike stressed that the State Government had also improved the health sector by constructing and furnishing general Hospitals in all the Senatorial districts in the state.
The 2019 governorship candidate for the PDP stressed that his administration had improved the security architecture in the State to attract investors.
He said that the government had made Rivers a regional Judicial hub by the rehabilitation of a Federal High court, an Appeal Court and the construction of a National Industrial Court in Port Harcourt.
Wike said  that it was his administration that reopened the courts closed down during the last administration due to insecurity.
The governor stated that his administration had provided adequate road infrastructure for the people of the state.
Describing Rivers as one of the safest States in Nigeria, he noted that the reason was the massive investments he provided for the security agencies to fight crime in the state.
‘’ In the past three and half years, we have experienced tremendous economic growth as a result of our investments in the security system which has attracted local and foreign investors,’’ he added.
‘’ As a former council Chairman, a former Chief of Staff and a former Minister, I shall bring my experience to bear in the continued governance of the state,’’ Wike said.
He pledged to provide more democratic dividends for the people in his second tenure in 2019, while asking Rivers people to vote massively to return the PDP to power in 2019.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Electoral Panel and the Returning Officer of the PDP primary elections, Mr Chukwuma Chinwe, said 3,490 voters were accredited for the primary.
He noted that of the 3,490 total votes,  3,345 voted in favour of Wike as the candidate for the PDP Governorship elections in 2019 , with 9 voided votes.
Chinwe later declared Wike as the winner of the elections.
‘’ By the power conferred on me by the PDP and the electoral guidelines for the conduct of the PDP Governorship Primary, I hereby declare Governor Wike as the winner of the PDP primary elections,’’ he said.
In Enugu, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was returned unopposed as the candidate.
From the 17 local governments in the South-East state, 2,895 delegates participated in the exercise.
The delegates were allowed to exercise their franchise through the ballot box though the governor stood unopposed.
The Chairman of the PDP Governorship Primary Election Committee in the state, Senator Sunday Ambuno, while announcing the result, said that the governor polled a total of 2,818 vote out of the 2,895 vote cast.
Ugwuanyi, in his acceptance speech, thanked the delegates for the faith reposed in him through their vote.
The governor said that he would repay the gesture shown to him by delivering good and quality leadership.
Ugwuanyi said that his second term would take the state to an enviable height.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by the Head, Electoral Process, Mr Joseph Ineji and security agencies were present at the exercise.
Other dignitaries that attended the primary election included the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy Governor, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, Speaker of the State Assembly, Chief Edward Ubosi and others.
Mr Seyi Makinde emerged as the candidate in Oyo State.
Makinde, who contested with Senator Ayo Adeseun, scored 2,772 votes to secure the PDP ticket while his opponent scored 21 votes.
Adeseun had earlier called for the cancellation of the primary election on the ground that the authentic list of delegates for the primary had been tampered with.
He alleged that the party primary electoral committee had inserted names of some people that were not genuine delegates into the list.
He left the venue of the primary at the Liberty Stadium Ibadan in annoyance before the commencement of the exercise.
Makinde, in his acceptance speech, pledged to revive the economy of the state and work on policies that would bring rapid development to the state.
He sought for the support of all party members and urged them to work towards the success of the party during the forthcoming general elections.
The exercise was witnessed by representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mr A A Ariyo and members of the National officers of the party.
In Minna, PDP governorship candidate in the 2015 general election in Niger State, Alhaji Umar Nasko, re-emerged the winner of the party’s primary.
He beat former Nigeria envoy to South Africa, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, and four others in a a well-organised and peaceful primary attended by 2,809 party delegates from the 25 local government areas across the state.
Others who contested the primary with him were Alhaji Umar Dogonkoli, Alhaji Hannafi Sudan and Aminu Baka.
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, in Uyo, was affirmed by party faithful as the governorship candidate.
Emmanuel was announced as the candidate by the PDP panel Chairman, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti who conducted the primaries.
Fayose said that Emmanuel polled a total of 3,807 votes out of 3,817 votes cast, adding that 10 votes were voided.
He said that Emmanuel was the only aspirant of the party in the state and explained that the delegates had to vote in order to complete due process in line with the electoral law.
Fayose commended the delegates for their peaceful conduct during the primaries.
In his acceptance speech, Emmanuel thanked the delegates from across the 31  Local Government areas of Akwa Ibom.
He said that his endorsement was an evidence of his acceptance by the Akwa Ibom people.
“Let me thank all of you for this show of confidence. A job well done  means more jobs.
“The development of Akwa Ibom is the thrust of PDP. Once more , I affirm that with PDP Akwa Ibom State  shall grow from strength to strength.
“We hope the same way we are marching to success today, we will march to success in 2019,” Emmanuel said.