The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council APCPCC) and Plateau State Governor, Barrister Simon Lalong, has joined the list of governors who lost the bid to come to the Senate.
He was beaten by AVM Bali Ninkap Napoleon (retd) of the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to the Returning Officer for the Plateau South Senatorial District election, Professor Meshak Goyit, Bali Napoleon polled 148,844 votes to defeat Governor Simon Lalong of APC with 91,674 votes. Tobias Nda of Labour Party scored 17,325 votes.
Another member Group of Five (G5) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, this time Samuel Ortom of Benue State has lost his bid to go to the Senate after losing to All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Titus Zam.
So far, two governors – Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) have lost their senatorial bids. Another governor from the north-east is believed to have lost, though a formal announcement is being awaited.
Ugwuanyi lost his senatorial bid to Labour Party’s Ikechukwu Ezea.
Rufus Shaato, the returning officer for Benue north-west senatorial election, announced that Zam polled 143,151 votes while Ortom got 106,882.
The hot seat is presently occupied by Emmanuel Orker-Jev of the PDP.
Another G5 governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is battling to win the Abia South senatorial district seat.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday declared the Presidential/National Assembly elections in district inconclusive.
Ms. Nkem Okoh, INEC electoral officer for Abia South Senatorial zone, announced the inconclusiveness of the election, but gave no reasons for the rerun.
The rerun in some of the wards was slated for, Monday, February 27, 2023, to determine winners in the zone.
The are Ward 7, units, 26,27,24,3,37 and 9, Ward 10, units- 29,33,36 and 12, Ward 1, units-45,46,52,39,43 & 44, Ward 11 units- 16,17,18,21,22,23,26,36,39 and 40.
Others are Ward 4, units- 47,53 and 54, Ward 5
Units- 34,38,41 and 16 and Ward 3,
units- 45,49,51,52 and 16.
Ikpeazu is running against current occupant of the seat, Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Chinedu Onyeizu of the Labour Party (LP).
Another of the G5 governors, Engineer Seyi Makinde, will test his strength on 11th March to see if he could get a second term.
The fifth governor, who appears to be leading the pack, Governor Nyesom Wike, is believed to have thrown his hat in support of the presidential ambitions of APC’s Senator Bola Tinubu in Rivers State. Ortom supported and voted for Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Ortom had told a delegation of Igbo residents in Makurdi he was ready to sacrifice his senatorial ambition to ensure Obi won.
The G5 governors are known to be opposed to the presidential ambitions of their party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar.