PDP Loses Strongholds In Ogun To ACN, As Obasanjo-Bello, Daniel Lose Wards
THOUGH the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to announce the results, early election data gathered from presiding officers at the various polling stations across Ogun State suggest that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is in a clear lead and maybe coasting to a landslide victory.
There were some surprises. Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, who contested the Senatorial seat in Ogun Central on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform lost at her Ita-Eko, Abeokuta Ward 11 to her ACN counterpart, Gbenga Obadara. While Obasanjop Bello polled 85 votes, Obadara scored 194. The Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) got 12, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) polled 4 votes and Alliance for Democracy got 3 votes.
Also, at Governor Gbenga Daniel’s Isote Ward in Sagamu, his PDP Senatorial candidate, Toheeb Odunowo lost to the ACN candidate, former deputy governor of the state, Gbenga Kaka by 121 votes to PDP’s 90 votes. PPN scored 118 and Labour Party 27.
As at 6.30pm yesterday, efforts to get the results from the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole’s Iporo-Sodeke ward proved abortive. But feelers suggest that he also lost to the ACN candidate, Segun Williams.
Generally, the elections were peaceful throughout the State as observed in Sagamu, Ilaro, Ijebu- Ode, Ago-Iwoye, Abeokuta and other parts of the state. Voters’ turn-out was massive in some areas just as it was low in few areas.
Accreditation started early in some polling centres and fairly late in few others. There were shortage of materials in some few areas while there were incidences of missing names of voters on the register in some areas.
For instance, at Ward 14, Unit 5 in Abeokuta, of the 864 people registered, only 338 came for accreditation. At the same Ward, 45 registered voters did not find their names in the voters register.
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo voted at his Ward 11 located at African Church Grammar School, Ita-Eko, Abeokuta at 12.47pm. Speaking to Journalists shortly afterwards, he described the exercise as having been reasonably peaceful. Though, he bemoaned the low turn-out at the ward, he observed that the election process had so far been free and fair.
He advised INEC to conduct a review of the exercise considering reports of some parties’ complaints that their emblems still did not appear on the ballot papers.
“I heard some people had their registration cards but their names did not appear and I do hope that INEC made preparation and arrangement for people who have genuinely registered and through no fault of theirs do not have all the things showing as it should have shown.”
Also speaking shortly after casting his vote at the African Church Primary School, Ita-Iyalode, Owu, Abeokuta, the Governorship candidate of the ACN, Senator Ibikunle Amosun observed that the conduct of the election process suggest that INEC has done well.
He described the security arrangement put in place as commendable and expressed the hope that it would be sustained throughout the elections, particularly at the collation centres.
“I think this is commendable. It shows some kind of organization and semblance of preparedness. The accreditation and voting has been peaceful. We hope there will be no ballot box snatching,” Amosun said.
On the turn-out of voters, Amosun described it as not too impressive, given that only about 326 voters turned out for accreditation as against the about 1000 registered at the voting centre, Ward 11, unit 12.
Stressing that the turn-out of last Saturday was much more, he attributed the development to INEC’s late announcement that the elections in some parts of the state were postponed “and the ensuing mix-up among voters who believed the entire state was affected.”
At Ward 13, Ago-Oba, where former governor of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba cast his vote, voting was peaceful as people turned out in large numbers to vote.
Afterwards, Osoba condemned the bombing incidence and encouraged the people to be determined to face whatever hurdles and problems that may arise from the voting exercise with a view to overcoming them.
He however complained of incidences of inadequate supply of voting materials in a number of places. “For instance, in Ofada ward in Obafemi Owode local council where 37,000 people registered, INEC sent 15, 000 voters cards. But overall, it appears to me that we may likely have a reasonably peaceful process,” he said.
The breakdown of the National Assembly polls in Ogun showed that at the African Church Grammar School, Ita Iyalode, Abeokuta, where Obasanjo and his daughter, Iyabo, voted in the senatorial election, the ACN polled 167 votes while the PDP polled 64 and PPN, 5 votes. At the Agbeloba polling unit, directly opposite the head office of Obasanjo Holdings: ACN 191, PDP 36 and PPN 10 while at the African Church Primary School where Senator Ibikunle Amosun of the ACN voted, his party scored 259 votes as against PDP’s 40 and PPN’s 9 votes respectively.
At Ita Elega also in Abeokuta North, the ACN polled 305 as against PDP’s 110 and PPN’s 97 while, at Obafemi Owode Local Government Primary School in Adigbe, the ACN polled 482, the PDP polled 143 and PPN 123.
In Abeokuta South where both the Senatorial and House of Representatives took place, early result showed that the ACN was leading for the two seats. In Ago-Oba ward 13 where Chief Osoba voted, the ACN had 159 for the House of Rep and 182 for Senate while PDP had 38 for Rep and 40 for Senate; the PPN had five for Rep and nine for Senate.
Also at the African Church Primary School Idi-Aba in ward 9, for the House of Representatives, ACN had 152 votes, PDP 83, PPN 12 and CPC 3 while in the Senate polls, ACN scored 177 as against PDP’s 57 and PPN’s 19.
At the Isote Ward in Sagamu where Governor Olugbenga Daniel voted, the ACN was also victorious with 121 votes as against PPN’s 118, PDP’s 90 and Labor Party’s 27.
In ward 3 of Ifo Local Government Area where only the senatorial election took place, ACN polled 335 votes in the Senate election as against 75 by PDP and 75 for PPN while in the House of Representative, ACN polled 326 as against PDP’s 58 and PPN’s 65.
