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Nigerian opposition wins key governorship poll in states

Xinhua, April 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nigeria's main opposition party has won some key states in the just concluded Saturday's governorship election in the country, after winning the presidency.

The All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in northeast Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, had been declared winner of Saturday's governorship election in the state.

Announcing the result of the election on Sunday in Bauchi, the Returning Officer, Mohammed Faruk, said Abubakar polled 654,934 votes, to defeat nine other contestants.

His closest opponent, Mohammed Jatau of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), secured 282,650 votes.

In central north Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai of the All Progressive Congress (APC) won the governorship election.

El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, defeated 14 other candidates, including incumbent governor Mukhtar Yero who contested on the platform of the PDP.

The Returning Officer for the state, Jafar Kaura, said El-Rufai emerged victorious with 1,117,635 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yero of the PDP, who secured 485,833 votes.

Also, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari, won the governorship election in northwest Katsina State under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Returning Officer, Lawal Bilbis, said on Sunday that Masari polled 943,085 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Musa Nashuni, who scored 476,768 votes in the Saturday' s elections.

He said the election was free, fair and conducted in accordance with the law.

In Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced the APC governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, as the winner of the April 11 election while the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, came second.

Out of the 20 local government areas of Lagos, Ambode won 15 while Agbaje won five.

Figures by INEC showed that Ambode polled 811,994 votes while Agbaje got 659,788 votes, a difference of 152,206 votes.

However, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of northeast Gombe State has been re-elected as governor of the state.

Dankwanbo of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 285,369 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Inuwa Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 205,132 votes.

Announcing the result in Gombe on Sunday, the Returning Officer for the state, Saminu Ibrahim, said the governor won the polls in 10 local government areas out of the 11 in the state.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Udom Emmanuel, has won the governorship election in oil rich state of Akwa Ibom.

Announcing the result of the election on Sunday in Uyo, Returning Officer for the election, James Epoke, said Emmanuel scored 996, 071 votes to defeat his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Umana Umana, who polled 89, 865 votes.

Epoke said that Emmanuel won in all the 31 local government areas in the state. Endi