Anayo Ezugwu 
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has continued to announce the results of Saturday’s governorship election across the country. The Commission has declared some governors seeking re-election winners of the exercise in their respective states. In Bauchi State, Governor Bala Mohammed has won his re-election bid for another four-year term. Mohammed polled 525,280 votes to defeat his closest rival and APC candidate, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar who polled 432,272. While in Nasarawa State, INEC declared Governor Abdullahi Sule as the winner of the governorship election in the state. The governor polled a total of 347,209 votes to defeat his closest opponent, David Ombugadu of the PDP, who got 283, 016 votes.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State was also declared the winner of the governorship election in the state. Zulum polled a total of 545,543 votes to beat his close rival of the PDP, Mohammed Ali Jajari, who scored 82,147 votes, while the Labour Party candidate, Goni Abdullahi placed third with 1,517 votes. In Ebonyi State, Governor David Umahi succeeded in installing the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, as the next governor of the state. INEC yesterday declared Nwifuru as the winner of the exercise after polling a total of 199,131 votes to beat his main challengers, Chief Ifeanyi Odii of the PDP and Professor Bernard Odoh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who scored 80,191 and 52,189 votes respectively. Likewise, Governor Sani Bello of Niger State also installed a successor by ensuring that the candidate of the APC, Umar Bago came out successful during the exercise. The electoral umpire announced Bago winner of the election.
Bago polled a total of 469,897 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Hon Isah Liman Kantigi of the PDP who got 388,476 votes. In Cross River State, INEC has declared Prince Bassey Edet Otu of the APC winner of the governorship election in the state. The Commission announced that Otu polled 258,619 votes to emerge the winner of the election.
He defeated his closest rival and candidate of the PDP, Senator Sandy Onor, who polled 179,636 votes. In Delta State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa also installed a successor with Sheriff Oborevwori winning the election. Oborevwori polled 360234 votes to defeat the APC candidate and Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo- Agege who scored 240229, while the Labour Party’s candidate, Kennedy Pela came a distant third with 48,047 votes. In Kano State, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has displayed his political supremacy in the state by winning the governorship election for the party. INEC declared the candidate of the party, Abba Yusuf, declared Yusuf the winner at the end of the collation across 44 local government areas in the state. Yusuf won the election with 1,019,602 votes, while Yusuf Gawuna of the APC got 890,705 votes. Unlike Umahi, Okowa, Bello and others, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State failed to install his successor following the defeat at the hands of the PDP. INEC announced that the PDP candidate, Caleb Mutfwang, won the election. Mutfwang polled 525,299 votes to defeat his closest rival Nentawe Yilwada of the APC, who scored 481,370 votes in a keenly contested election. The Labour Party governorship candidate Dr Patrick Dakum scored 60,310. The PDP won 10 local government areas while the APC won in seven local government areas. In Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom joined the list of outgoing governors that failed to install their successors. The APC candidate, Hyacinth Alia, who polled 473,933 votes, was declared the winner of the election. Alia, who is a Roman Catholic Priest, defeated his closest rival, Titus Uba of the PDP, who scored 223,913 votes. In Enugu and Abia states, the electoral umpire has suspended collation while collation in Kaduna and Rivers were still ongoing at the time of filing this report.
