Saraki, Ajimobi, Oloriegbe — biggest winners and losers so far

It’s been three days since Nigerians cast their ballots in the presidential and national assembly elections. Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently announcing results for the presidential election in the 36 states and the federal capital territory, results for the national assembly have been trickling in from the commission’s collation centres across the country.

The results, so far, has exposed the frailty of some key political figures.  Sitting senators and governors lost out in the bid to get seats in the senate.  While some newcomers joined the house of representatives. The election has brought to the limelight “underdogs” like 35-year-old Tajudeen Adefisoye from Ondo state. Here is a highlight of some of the biggest winners and losers in the legislative poll.

WINNERS

YAKUBU DOGARA

Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, is getting his fourth run to represent Dass/Tafawa/Balewa/Bogoro constituency of Bauchi state. Dogara, who ran under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 73,609 votes to defeat Dalhatu Kantana, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 50,078.

The constituency, according to Dogara, has “set a record as the first in Bauchi state to return a member to the house of representatives for fourth consecutive term.” Some of his supporters felt his defection from the APC would affect his chances.

IBRAHIM OLORIEGBE

Oloriegbe, the APC candidate for the Kwara central senatorial district, coasted to victory in his second battle against Senate President Bukola Saraki. He polled 123,808 votes to maintain a clear lead over Saraki who secured 68,994 votes in the election. The Lai Mohammed-led “O to ge” movement has been adduced as the major reason Saraki lost his re-election. For Oloriegbe, this is a major achievement.

ORJI KALU

Kalu, former governor of Abia state and APC candidate for Abia north senatorial district, was declared winner in Saturday’s election. He polled 31,203 votes to defeat Mao Ohuabunwa of the PDP and incumbent senator, who scored 20,801 votes.

Kalu has been seeking political relevance since he ended his tenure as governor in 2007.

TAJUDEEN ADEFISOYE

Another surprise and perhaps historic win is that of Adefisoye, the 35-year old candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who was declared winner of the Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency seat in Ondo state. Adefisoye, popularly known as Small Alhaji, polled 16,186 votes to beat his closest rival, Kayode Akinmade of the PDP.

He will be one of the youngest members of the federal house of representatives.

AISHA DAHIRU 

Dahiru of the APC won the Adamawa central senatorial seat, making her the only female senator-elect so far in northern Nigeria. According to INEC’s returning officer, Dahiru scored 188,526 votes to beat Murtala Chibado of the PDP who scored 96,530 votes.

Dahiru’s win seems like a “replacement” of sort as Binta Garba, a senator representing Adamawa north, lost her bid to return to the upper legislative chamber. She is the only female senator from the north in the 8th assembly.

LOSERS

BUKOLA SARAKI

Saraki’s loss has been described as one of the most shocking in the election. A two-term governor, two-term senator and the nation’s number three citizen was stopped by Oloriegbe, a former majority leader in Kwara house of assembly.  The senate president’s 68,994 votes was no match for the 123,808 votes of Oloriegbe.

Accepting “defeat,” Saraki, wished the people of Kwara well, adding that those who emerged victorious “are not my enemies.”

ABIOLA AJIMOBI

Ajimobi, sitting governor of Oyo state, lost his bid to represent the state’s south senatorial district, to Kola Balogun of the PDP. Ajimobi polled 92,579 votes while the Balogun secured 105,720 votes.

In a statement, the governor said he had accepted the results but protested that the process was marred with “infractions and malpractices.” The former senator and only governor to have spent two terms in the history of Oyo couldn’t secure a seat in the 9th senate

SHEHU SANI

Shehu Sani of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) who currently represents the Kaduna central senatorial district lost to Uba Sani of the APC.

Uba polled 355,242 votes ahead of Sani’s 70,613 votes. The senator won on the platform of the APC in 2015 but defected to PRP when he lost the party’s senatorial ticket. Uba Sani is a close ally of Nasir el-Rufai, the state governor, who has not hidden his disgust for Shehu Sani.

BINTA GARBA

Binta Garba, senator representing Adamawa north, lost her re-election bid to Ishaku Abbo of the PDP. While Abbo polled 79, 37 votes, Garba got 63, 219 votes. Garba, 52, is currently the only female senator in the north and will only run for a single term.

ANDY UBA  

Andy Uba, senator representing Anambra south senatorial district has also suffered a shocking loss in the elections. Uba, who ran under the platform of the APC, was defeated by Ifeanyi Ubah, chairman of Capital Oil and Gas. Ubah ran under the platform of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).

Chris Uba, also racing for the senatorial ticket, was a candidate of the PDP. Ifeanyi polled 87,081 votes closely followed by Chris who secured 62,462 votes, while Andy, the elder brother of Chris got only 13,245 votes.

Andy, who has represented the constituency since 2011 under the PDP, defected to the APC in 2017, following leadership crisis that rocked the former ruling party.