BY Ebunoluwa Olafusi
As the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held their primaries for governorship, senate and house of representatives, several candidates were presented as sole hopefuls.
Several incumbent public office holders got return tickets for another term, while some were given a free pass to vie for new positions.
By virtue of the states under its control, the ruling party had more sole hopefuls than the major opposition party.
Here is a rundown of the politicians who were unopposed in their quest to secure party tickets.
BELLO MATAWALLE WINS SECOND TERM TICKET
Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, on Thursday, was elected candidate of the APC in the governorship primary election in the state.
The governor, who was unopposed, polled 733 votes out of the 735 votes.
Matawalle promised to continue to provide meaningful development in the state if re-elected for a second term.
ZULUM CLINCHES BORNO APC TICKET
Babagana Zulum of Borno also won unopposed at the APC governorship primary in the state.
Uba Maigari, chairman of the electoral committee, said 1,422 delegates were accredited while 1,411 voted and endorsed Zulum through voice vote.
MOHAMMED INUWA WINS REELECTION TICKET
Mohammed Inuwa of Gombe got the APC governorship ticket of the state unopposed.
Abdullahi Dabo, chairman of the governorship primary committee, said Inuwa was the only hopeful that purchased the nomination form and only one screened by the APC.
Inuwa was affirmed through a voice vote at the Gombe International Hotel, venue of the governorship primary election.
SA’IDU UMAR WINS PDP SOKOTO GUBER PRIMARY
Sa’idu Umar, former secretary to the Sokoto state government, won the ticket to contest the governorship election in 2023.
Umar won the election unchallenged after four contestants withdrew from the race.
Munir Dan’iya, the deputy governor; Bello Goronyo, Sokoto PDP state chairman; Mukhtari Shagari, former deputy governor of the state; and Sagir Bafarawa, ex-commissioner for environment, announced their withdrawal before voting began.
MAI MALA BUNI GETS YOBE TICKET
Mai Mala Buni of Yobe clinched the APC gubernatorial ticket unopposed for the 2023 election in the state.
Announcing the result, Umar Kareto, the returning officer, said Buni said 890 delegates were accredited for the election and 825 votes were cast.
Of the total votes cast, 805 votes were valid, and 20 invalid.
IBRAHIM KASSIM SECURES BAUCHI PDP TICKET
Ibrahim Kassim, former secretary to the Bauchi state government, secured the PDP governorship ticket unopposed.
Hassan Grema, chairman of the primary election, said Kassim secured 655 votes with one vote voided.
“Ibrahim Kashim was the only aspirant of the party in the state and the delegates had to vote to complete due process in line with the electoral law,” he said.
AHMADU FINTIRI FOR ADAMAWA PDP
Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa, secured the state’s PDP ticket unopposed for the 2023 elections.
Gavin Katabs, chairman of the PDP governorship primaries committee in Adamawa, said Fintiri scored 663 votes out of the 668 accredited votes — with five of the votes declared void.
ABDULRAHMAN ABDULRASAQ WINS KWARA APC TICKET
The incumbent governor of Kwara state clinched the reelection ticket unopposed.
Emmanuel Dan-Daura, chairman of the primary election, said AbdulRasaq polled 961 votes out of 965 votes.
Dan-Daura pronounced AbdulRasaq the winner after delegates went through the affirmation process.
UCHE NNAJI GETS ENUGU APC TICKET
Uche Nnaji, a businessman, won the governorship ticket of the APC in Enugu state.
Nnaji was the sole governorship hopeful of the party in the state. He polled 1070 of the 1100 votes cast while 30 votes were invalid.
OVIE OMO-AGEGE WINS IN DELTA
Ovie Omo-Agege, deputy senate president, secured the gubernatorial ticket of the APC in Delta state.
Omo-Agege, who polled a total of 1,190 votes, was unchallenged at the APC governorship primaries held on Thursday in Asaba.
Commenting on his victory, Omo-Agege thanked his supporters, adding that the ruling party “is very determined to take over the reign of affairs in Delta”.
PETER NWAOBOSHI, EDE DAFINONE, JOEL-ONOWAKPO THOMAS WINS IN DELTA
Peter Nwaoboshi, incumbent senator representing Delta north senatorial district, was adopted as the sole senatorial candidate by the state chapter of the APC for the 2023 elections.
Ede Dafinone and Joel-Onowakpo Thomas were also affirmed as the candidates for Delta central and Delta south senatorial districts respectively.
BOLAJI ABDULLAHI GETS KWARA CENTRAL TICKET
Abdullahi, former minister of sports, was elected as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Kwara central senatorial district.
He was elected through a consensus arrangement and affirmation by delegates at the PDP’s senatorial primaries held at Mariam Event Centre, Ilorin, on Monday.
RAFIU IBRAHIM SECURES PDP TICKET IN KWARA
Ibrahim, former senator, was also selected as the consensus PDP candidate for Kwara south senatorial district.
Ibrahim emerged through affirmation at the primaries held in Omu-Aran in Irepodun LGA of the state.
BALA MANDE SECURES PDP ZAMFARA NORTH TICKET
Bala Mande, former minister of state, environment and the current PDP chairman of Zamfara, was elected as the candidate for the state north senatorial district.
Kabiru Usman, chairman of the electoral committee, said Mande was returned unchallenged through the party’s consensus arrangement.
DESMOND ELLIOT SECURES APC RETURN TICKET
Desmond Elliot, lawmaker representing Surulere constituency I in Lagos state house of assembly, won the APC ticket for a third term.
Elliot polled 30 votes as the sole contestant for the ticket.
Elliot, who appreciated delegates for their support, said the people should expect more dividends of democracy.
The lawmaker won the Surulere constituency seat in the 2015 elections.
His nomination for a second term came unchallenged as well.
FEMI GBAJABIAMILA WINS APC TICKET AGAIN
Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, won the APC ticket for the sixth term.
The speaker polled 30 votes as the sole candidate to represent Surulere constituency I.
Gbajabiamila has been in the house of representatives since 2003.
TOKUNBO ABIRU CLINCHES LAGOS EAST UNCHALLENGED
Tokunbo Abiru, senator representing Lagos-east district, won the APC senatorial ticket to contest for a second term.
Abiru, chairman of senate committee on industries, contested unchallenged and cleared all the 344 votes cast by delegates with no invalid vote.
In his acceptance speech, Abiru said he would not relent in his #DoingGood agenda for the people.
OPEYEMI BAMIDELE WINS RETURN TICKET
Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman, senate committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters, won the return ticket of the Ekiti central senatorial district unchallenged.
Bamidele, who scored 275 votes at the APC primary election, was unanimously elected by the delegates at Aramoko Ekiti, in Ekiti west LGA.
In his acceptance speech, he appreciated the delegates for “re-entrusting” their mandate in him.
TANKO AL-MAKURA SECURES TICKET IN NASARAWA
In Nasarawa, Tanko Al-Makura, the former governor, also clinched the party’s ticket unchallenged to contest the Nasarawa south senatorial seat in the 2023 election.
Abubakar Abbas, chairman of the primary election committee, said delegates from the district affirmed Al-Makura to return to the senate.
Addressing journalists after the election, the governor said he is grateful to his constituents for trusting him to represent them.
ABDUL’AZIZ YARI GETS ZAMFARA SENATORIAL TICKET
Abdul’aziz Yari, former Zamfara governor, secured APC ticket for Zamfara west senatorial district unchallenged.
Yari polled 306 votes out of the 310 votes recorded at the primaries.
KABIRU MARAFA SECURES APC TICKET
The Zamfara chapter of the APC endorsed Kabiru Marafa, former senator, as the party’s standard-bearer for the Zamfara central senatorial district at the 2023 election.
Marafa, who was unchallenged, scored 215 votes during the primary election.
He promised to contribute his quota to the state’s development if he wins the 2023 senatorial election.
ALIYU WAMAKKO GETS THE TICKET FOR APC IN SOKOTO CENTRAL
Aliyu Wamakko, former governor of Sokoto, was announced winner of the Sokoto central senatorial primary.
He secured the mandate through affirmation votes by delegates from eight LGAs of the district at the primary.
The motion for affirmation was moved by Babangida Dantsoho from Sokoto south and seconded by Aliyu Sabo from Kware LGA.
AHMAD KAITA PICKS KATSINA PDP TICKET
Ahmad Kaita, senator representing Katsina north, picked the PDP ticket unchallenged.
Aminu Bello, the chairman of the PDP electoral committee for the state, said Kaita won the ticket as he was the only hopeful for the election.
Kaita, who defected from the APC to the PDP in April, promised effective representation for the constituents if elected in 2023.
“Since I defected to the party, I have received tremendous support and hospitality from all and sundry,” he said.
ORJI KALU FOR ABIA
Orji Kalu, senate chief whip, won the ticket of the APC to represent Abia north senatorial district for a second term.
Kalu polled a total of 777 votes to win the primary election, after Fabian Nwankwo, his opponent, stepped down for him.
Earlier in the month, Kalu withdrew from the 2023 presidential race to pursue a senatorial bid. He endorsed Ahmad Lawan for president.
OSHIOMHOLE GETS EDO NORTH TICKET
Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the APC, became the senatorial candidate of the party for Edo north senatorial district after Francis Alimikhena, his opponent and incumbent senator of the constituency, resigned from the ruling party.
According to Festus Ebia, the party’s returning officer, Oshiomhole scored 309 votes at the primary election.
He said 317 delegates were accredited for the election, and three votes were voided.
KABIRU GAYA GETS KANO SOUTH TICKET
Kabiru Gaya, chairman of senate committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), clinched the ruling party’s ticket unchallenged.
BARAU JIBRIN WINS KANO NORTH
Barau Jibrin, chairman of the senate committee on appropriations, also won the Kano north-central district APC ticket unchallenged.
He became the sole candidate following the withdrawal of Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of the state, from the senatorial race.
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