LP Candidate, Attah Defeats Obanikoro, Banky W, Wins Eti Osa Federal Constituency; As Gbajabiamila Wins For Sixth Term

By Akinwale Kasali

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Candidate, Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro representing Eti Osa Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives has been defeated alongside, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Candidate, Bankole Wellington popularly known as Banky W by Labour Party, LP, Candidate, Thaddeus Attah.

Attah, has been declared  winner in Eti-Osa Federal Constituency’s seat in the House of Representatives.

Attah polled 24,075 votes, beating his counterparts, Banky of the PDP who had 18,666 votes, and Obanikoro of the APC, who had 16, 901 votes.

Babajide, who is a son of former Minister of Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, is the current lawmaker representing the constituency.

INEC Returning Officer, Prof Funmilayo Odukoya, made the declaration on Sunday at the Collation Centre, Lagos State Model Nursery and Primary School, Marwa, Lekki 1.

“That Thaddeus Attah of LP, having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared winner and is returned elected; signed by me. Thank you so much,” Odukoya said

She said other candidates received the following votes: Oladehin Olufemi, African Democratic Congress, ADC, 1,422 votes; Azeez Kabirat of New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, 414 votes, and Olasunkanmi Ololade, Social Democratic Party, SDP, 207 votes.

Earlier, there was pandemonium between the party agents and INEC officers over the authenticity of the result, even before it was declared by the Presiding Officer.

The agents, including those of APC and PDP refused to accept the announced  results unless their complaints were addressed.

Also, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has been re-elected for the sixth consecutive term in the just-concluded 2023 general elections.

According to the official result declared by INEC returning officer, Prof. Virgy Onyene, at the Surulere local government office of INEC on Sunday, Gbajabiamila of the APC won with a wide margin of 19,717 votes to defeat his closest rival, Bosun Jeje of the PDP, who scored 5,121 votes.

Also, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, has won the election for the seat of Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State.

The All Progressives Congress member was reelected for a second term.

According to the results declared by the Returning Officer, Adindu Chidinma, APC polled 10,020 votes in the constituency, beating the Labour Party candidate with 6,818; Peoples Democratic Party, 3,930; and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, with 301 votes.

Reacting to his reelection in a message sent to journalists, Kalu partly said, “This is a moment of happiness. This victory is sweet because it came with a lot of hard work and confrontation between those outside and some forces within the party. But in all of these, God has seen the sincerity of our hearts to serve the people of Bende with transparency, honesty, in the spirit of accountability and His name has been glorified.”

Similarly, the lawmaker representing Ede-North/Ede-South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun State, Bamidele Salam, has won his reelection bid. He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party as well as the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs.