The much-anticipated 2019 general elections have come and gone, with the Independent National Electoral Commission trying to sort out situations in fix states where the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections had been declared inconclusive. As the electoral umpire presentedthe elected Senators their Certificates of Return last week, it is important to reflect on the overall exercise, especially the shocks and surprises that played out during the polls, which political pundits least anticipated.
Bukola Saraki’s loss
Though it is no longer news that Senate President Bukola Saraki failed to secure a return ticket to the Senate in the 9th session, the interesting thing is that his political career appears to be nose-diving as the hitherto strongman of Kwara politics might be headed for political oblivion. Pointers to the fears that Saraki might soon be pushed to the backwaters of Kwara politics became clearer as the All Progressives Congress swept almost all the positions available in the state House of Assembly as well as winning the governorship election.
With the recent developments in the state, political pundits are quick to note that Kwara State in the next four years will be exposed to a new political life and ideology which will reflect the true democracy in the state for the first time in a long time.
Speaking with our correspondent, a public affairs analyst from Ilorin, Damilare Ibrahim, explained that what befell the senate president was a lesson all political godfathers in Nigeria must learn from.
“What happened to Saraki was a big surprise to him and the people. Nobody had thought it could happen. But the election reflects the true decision of the Kwara people to liberate themselves from political internment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Saraki’s loss has been attributed to his political carelessness, leading to hiss loss of connection with his grassroots.
The Senator-elect for Kwara North, Mallam Sadiq Umar, disclosed this, saying Saraki lost his senatorial seat because he was no longer connected with the electorate.
“The victory is an anticipated one and we are very happy about it. Everybody is very happy because it was a very free and fair election.
“Kwarans are very clear; enough is enough. They have not had a good leader and those who are ruling Kwara are not giving the best of leadership to the
people.
“So the people want a change and we are very happy the electorate has spoken very loudly that they are with APC and all candidates of APC won the elections from Presidential to National Assembly members,’’ he said.
Umar described the development as a new dawn for Kwara, saying all that the citizens had been deprived of, would now be given to them.
“Kwara will see development in infrastructure, employment, empowerment, prompt payment of salary and improvement in salary among others,’’ he said.
Gov Ajimobi, Adelabu’s flop in Oyo
The failure of Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, to secure a senatorial slot alongside his party’s loss of the governorship seat in the just concluded elections was another shock for the ruling APC.
Ajimobi, who is the only governor to have enjoyed consecutive two terms in office in the state, contested the senatorial position in furtherance of his political career. But he fell out with most of his supporters, and the Oyo State electorate showed him the exit door.
In the same vein, the party also lost the governorship position to its major opposition in the state-PDP, as Segun Adelabu, the APC candidate, also lost.
Meanwhile, APC supporters in Oyo State are blaming their loss on the incumbent governor, saying Ajimobi’s misrule led to the decision of Oyo electorate to vote against the party.
“Ajimobi brought ill-luck to us this time. His behaviour and his stubbornness led to this. He believed he can have everything to himself, now look at what he has caused us. The party leaders at the national level should deal with him like they did to Amosun. He is a greedy person who wants to have everything to himself. He is a palpable selfish person. He had spent four years in the Senate immediately preceding two terms of governorship. Then during the primaries last year, he flexed his power, bullied sitting Senator Soji Akanbi into submission and basically took the party’s Senatorial ticket from the poor guy. Akanbi had no fighting chance. Naturally, that sent Akanbi out of the party with his supporters. Akanbi had done more for party members as a first-time Senator than Ajimobi did for them in the eight years he was Governor. Who does that? At 70 years, who does that if not a callous and greedy person? Is that leadership? “ Abiola Rhmaon, one of the party supporters, told our correspondent .
Jimi Agbaje’s humiliation
Though his loss may not be a big deal to everyone in Lagos State, the margin recorded in the contest however took all by surprise.
Jimi Agbaje, who was the candidate of PDP in the governorship election, was expected to give Tinubu’s boy, Olusola Sanwo-Olu, a run for his money, looking at the close range between him and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in 2015, but in what looked like the defeat of his life, he was defeated with more than 500,000 votes.
Meanwhile, Agbaje has vowed to continue the battle to free Lagos, hours after he lost the March 9 governorship election.
Though the election had been expected to be a close contest, Agbaje lost to Sanwo-Olu of the APC with a margin of 533,304 votes, according to the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, March 10.
The pharmacist failed to win in any of the state’s 20 local government areas and finished with 206,141 votes while Sanwo-Olu, a former commissioner, polled 739,445 votes.
Despite his loss, Agbaje assured his supporters that he wouldn’t give up in his fight to free the state from the current party.
The PDP candidate ran a campaign that largely focused on the influential godfather role that former governor and APC national leader, Bola Tinubu,, has played in the state over the past two decades.
“Following INEC’s announcement of the results of the gubernatorial elections that took place over the weekend, March 9, 2019, I want to take this opportunity to thank my supporters and everyone who invested their time, resources and energy to support our cause.
“To those who stood by our campaign, the passion that you brought into this democratic process and your participation has not been in vain. Because you have made your voices heard, in the final analysis, win or lose, our dear state will be the better for it.
“The elections might be over but the fight for a free Lagos must continue to ensure that governance improves and that government continues to work for the interest of ordinary men and women.
“We must continue to hold our leaders accountable by choosing, at our end, to be first informed about the issues and, secondly, to participate at all levels. This is the only way to build on the gains of our young democracy.
“It has been an absolute honour running for the highest office in our dear state. To Lagosians whose cares have been our concern, it is not goodbye but a see you later because the work goes on, the cause endures and the dream of the Peoples’ Lagos shall never die. ..” he stated.
El-Rufai’s victory
Despite several controversies surrounding him, Kaduna state governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, was able to survive the ‘gang up’ against him to win the second term in office.
El-Rufai has been predicted by analysts as one of the governors that may not return to the office in 2019. But in what took all by surprise, he was able to secure his second term as the electorate re-elected him.
Announcing the result on Monday in Kaduna, the State Returning Officer, Prof. Muhammed Yahuza Bello, said El-Rufai, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, scored 1,045,427 votes to emerge the
winner.
He said Alhaji Isah Ashiru, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party scored 814,168 votes
“Malam Nasiru El-Rufai having fulfilled all the requirements of the law, and scored the highest votes is hereby declared the winner of the Kaduna State governorship election,” Bello said.
Bello said the APC won in 14 Local Government Areas while the PDP won in nine Council Areas out of the 23 LGs in the State.
According to him, the APC won in Ikara, Kubau, Makarfi, Kudan , Giwa, Kauru and Soba local government areas.
The APC also won in Lere, Birnin Gwari, Kaduna North and Sabon Gari, Igabi, Kaduna South, Zaria LGs.
The opposition PDP won in nine local government areas, including Kajuru, Kaura, Jaba, Kachia, Zango Kataf, Sanga, Kagarko, Jema’a and Chikun LGAs.
