Election 2023: Angry Nigerians Tear Their Nigerian Passports, Renounce Citizenship

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March 20, 2023

Nigerians Tearing Passport After Election

By Gideon Njoku

In an unprecedented action, Nigerians, angry over the conduct of the 2023 General Elections, are tearing their Nigerian International Passports, and renouncing their Citizenship as Nigerians.

In a video posted on WhatsApp, at least, two Nigerians were seen angrily tearing their International Passports while renouncing their Nigerian Citizenship.

Expressing disgust at the conduct of the General Elections, they said they were ashamed of being Nigerians after the sham that was the General Elections. They said they want nothing to do with Nigeria anymore, and wondered why the leadership of any country could condone what happened in Rivers and Lagos States, in particular, during the Elections. They said Nigerians are ashamed of their Country over the rubbish that was the elections. And they would be ashamed to introduce themselves as Nigerians.

The 2023 Elections have been described by millions of Nigerians as the worst in the history of Elections in Nigeria or in any Elections in African Country. It has, also, been condemned worldwide.

The Elections were war. They were marred by unprecedented violence which resulted in deaths, intimidation and disenfranchisement of voters, suppression of votes, snatching of ballot boxes, and vote-buying. In most case, security agents watched and did nothing.

A number of political parties, individuals and organizations have condemned the conduct of the elections in very strong words, and called for an outright cancelation in a number of States.

Lagos Guber: Falz Slams Governor Sanwo Olu, Says Not Elected, But Selected; Governor Regrets Violence

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Akinwale Kasali

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March 20, 2023

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By Akinwale Kasali

Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, and a son of Legal Luminary and Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana has slammed Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu who was re-elected as the Governor of Lagos State.

The popular Musician and Actor said that the Governor was selected and not elected.

Falz responded to the Governor’s tweet thanking Lagosians for voting for him. He tweeted: “Thank you Lagosians! I am deeply humbled and grateful for the overwhelming support and trust of the good people of Lagos State. I am honored to be re-elected as your Governor and pledge to continue to work tirelessly to deliver a better Lagos for all. Thank you for believing in me.

“These elections have deeply tested us as a people. This victory is not just mine, but it belongs to every Lagosian.

“I have worked hard to live up to this responsibility of governing the most important subnational economy in Africa. We certainly could not have done this by ourselves. Thank you to the Almighty God and all of Lagos. Immense gratitude goes to our great party, APC, and our President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“During the course of the campaign, we sadly saw a lot of divisive rhetoric used. Elections should be about capacity, competence, and experience, not ethnicity or religion. I salute those who refused to be divided by hateful and hurtful ethnic profiling.”

Falz in response to the Governor’s Thank You message wrote: “You were not re-elected. You selected yourself. Everybody saw it unfold. You are only deceiving yourselves.”

This led to brickbats on Twitter as a Tweep asked Falz if he was pained by Governor Sanwo Olu’s victory.

He replied and said, “Yes it is (pain) actually. The pain of knowing that brothers and sisters are being turned against each other in a bid to ‘win’ an election.

“Also the pain of seeing our democratic process rubbished before our very eyes.”

Governor Sanwo also cleared the air as regards the violence that took place in some parts of the State during Saturday’s election saying, He said: “Recent skirmishes in some LGAs resulting in injuries are reprehensible and not reflective of who we are. Law enforcement and security agencies have been directed to ensure that those found culpable face the full wrath of the law.

“Very importantly, and this cannot be overemphasised, what unites us as Lagosians is far more important and substantial than whatever differences exist among us.

“As your Governor, I will do everything in my power to ensure that genuine healing takes place. We will continue to run an inclusive government, that delivers for all the people of Lagos, wherever in the State they may be living.”

PDP Rejects Katsina State Governorship Election Results

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Akinwale Kasali

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March 20, 2023

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected the results of the Governorship Election in Katsina State declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

At a Press Briefing in Katsina, the PDP said it would head to the court to challenge the result.

The Director General of PDP Campaign Council in the state, Dr. Mustapha Inuwa revealed the position of the party saying that the election was neither credible, nor free and fair and did not reflect the position of the electorates.

In attendance at the press conference, among others were – the party’s Governorship candidate during the election, Senator Yakubu Lado, Chairman of the Campaign Council, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri and other party leaders in the state.

Inuwa declared on behalf of the party: “We reject the result of last Saturday’s Governorship election in totality.The election was characterised by violence, financial inducement, intimidation of Civil Servants and many other malpractices.

“We are heading for court to challenge the result. It is really sad that instead of allowing the elctorates to freely elect their leaders, cases of malpractices, including intimidation of civil servants, financial inducement, thuggery and other acts of violence were employed to twist the electorates’ choice.

“I know by the grace of God we are going to win,” Inuwa enthused.

He also observed that despite the low turnout of voters during the Governorship election, compared to the turnout recorded during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the results of the Governorship election showed that the APC scored almost twice what it scored in the previous Presidential election in the State, stressing: “They added only few thousand figures to our party that came first in the Presidential election, to show that they are not smart at all.”

Inuwa appealed to the party members and followers in the State to remain law abiding and continue to support the party.

In his own remark, the PDP governorship candidate also declared that he was rejecting the election result.

He said, “The election was characterised by several malpractices which we will cite at the court. I reject it totally.”

Other political parties that participated in the governorship election in Katsina state were yet to formally react to the result, as at Monday.

INEC Retuning Officer for the election, Professor Muazu Abubakar Gusau, had declared Dikko Rada of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the duly elected Governor made after all the commission’s Collation Officers in the 34 Local Government Areas of the state had declared results of the election in their respective councils.

According to Gusau, Radda polled 859,892 to emerge as the winner, Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke of the PDP polled 486,260 and Nura Khalid, of New Nigeria Peoples’ Party, NNPP, polled 8, 263 at the March 18th, 2023 Governorship and State House of Assembly Election held in 28 States across the Federation.

Kano: Kwakwasinya Defeats Ganduje

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James Orji

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March 20, 2023

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Rabiu Kwakwanso has proven his mettle again that he has Kano State under his firm grip, following the declaration of Abbas Kabiru Yusuf, the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, as the governor elect by the Independent National Electoral, INEC.

Yusuf, according to INEC defeated his closest rival, Nasir Yusuf Gawjna of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the governorship race after scoring 1,019,602 votes to his opponent’s 890, 705 votes.

The APC candidate was backed by the incumbent, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who did all in his part to ensure that his candidate succeeds him as governor.

The governor was once a politcal ally of Kwakwanso, who, three weeks ago failed to win the presidential election. The former governor and Minister of Defence had helped Ganduje to be governor to succeed him, but no sooner the incumbent came to office than he parted ways with his predecessor.

The former governor later defected to the ANPP under whcih he contested the presidency on February 25, but lost to Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, after coming a distant fourth in the keenly contested election.

The declaration of the governorship candidate of the ANPP as winner by the electoral umpire, is seen my close watchers of Nigeria’s commercial city, as a victory for Kwankwaso whose political machine, Kwakwasinya has played a critical role in who becomes the governor of the state since 2007 when he ruled the state.

Meanwhile, the state government has imposed a dawn-to-dusk curfew across the state, to stem prevent breakdown of law and order following the announcement of the governorship results by INCE.

A statement by the state commissioner for information and internal affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, early hour Monday, said the decision become necessary to avert violence, noting that some hoodlums are already planning to unleash mayhem.

“I Was Defeated By The Rave Of The Moment” – Senator Chimaroke Nnamani; Concedes Defeat

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The Source

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March 20, 2023

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By Charles Igbo

Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, the incumbent Senator, Enugu East, has conceded defeat and congratulated the winner of the Senatorial Election.

Sir Kelvin Chukwu of the Labour Party, LP, defeated Nnamani in the March 18th Senatorial Election.

He scored a total of 69,136 votes to Nnamani’s 48, 701 votes.

In his congratulatory message to Chukwu, Dr Nnamani said he was defeated by the rave of the moment in the South-east, LP – and added that the people have spoken.

His words: “The result of the election is in tandem with the rave of the moment in the South-east Zone who have identified with the Labour Party. A contrary result would have negated the trend. The people have spoken.

” I wish the Enugu East Senator-elect a successful tenure in the upper legislative chamber.”

Sir Kelvin Chukwu was chosen by the LP to replace his brother, Barrister Oyibo Chukwu, who was gruesomely murdered a couple of days to the Election which was scheduled to hold on February 25th 2023. That of Enugu East Senatorial District was shifted to March 18th because of Barrister Chukwu’s murder.

Nnamani ran under the banner of the PDP, even though he has been expelled by the Party.

With Nnamani’s defeat, the LP has won tye three Senatorial Districts in Enugu State.

Again, Emmanuel Defeats Akpabio As PDP Wins Governorship Election In Akwa Ibom

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Akinwale Kasali

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March 20, 2023

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By Akinwale Kasali

Incumbent Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel has, for the second time, defeated his estranged former boss, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Emmanuel’s Candidate, Umo Eno, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, defeated Akpabio’s Candidate, Akanimo Udofia of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Eno was declared winner of the March 18, 2023 Governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He polled 354,348 to defeat Udofia who scored 129,602 votes and Labour Party (LP)’s Uduakobong who got 4,746 votes.

Eno was declared the winner by INEC Returning Officer in the state, Prof Emmanuel Adigio.

However, in a swift reaction, opposition Parties called for the cancellation of the results by INEC, describing what took place on the 18th as “a war, not an election”

Akpabio, at the end of his two-term tenure, had picked Emmanuel as his successor. Emmanuel was an Executive Director at Zenith Bank Plc when Akpabio made him his Chief of Staff and later, his successor. But their relationship went very sour within a few months, and forced Akpabio to quit his position as the Minority Leader in the Senate, and defected to the APC.

Since then, the two men have been struggling to outwit each other politically. In 2019, Emmanuel thrashed Akpabio’s Governorship Candidate to get a second term office. In 2023, he has done it again.

Luckily for Akpabio, he is going back to the Senator after he secured a controversial ticket to run. He won the election.

Why Peter Obi Sacked Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani From Senate

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The Source

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March 20, 2023

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By Charles Igbo

The Peter Obi effect has sacked a former Governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani, from the Senate. Nnamani, who is the incumbent Senator, Enugu East, by the defeat has lost his third term bid to the Senate.

The Medical Doctor- turned politician was defeated in the election held on 18th March, 2023, by the Candidate of the Labour Party, Sir Kelvin Chukwu.

Chukwu scored a total of 69,136 votes to Nnamani’s 48, 701 votes.

Chukwu’s journey to the Senate is a product of sorrow. He was not a politician. And was not aspiring to be one. But fate threw it at him.

His elder brother, Barrister Oyibo Chukwu was the Senatorial Candidate of the Labour Party. Sadly, two days to the Election scheduled for February 25, 2023, he was killed in a most gruesome manner.

On his way back from a political Campaign he was killed by gunmen, along with six of his supporters. They were all in a Sienna vehicle when gunmen not only shot them, but set fire on their vehicle. Their bodies were burnt.

The LP wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission to inform the body of the sad situation the party was in and requested for a shift in the date for the Enugu East Senatorial District Election. The request was granted. INEC rescheduled the election to March 18, and the Party replaced the late Barrister Chukwu with his younger brother, Sir Kelvin Chukwu who, now, is a Senator-elect.

Three things, mainly, cost Nnamani the Senate seat. The first is the Peter Obi-effect which swept through a number of States, especially, in the South-east and became an overnight hit, especially, with Nigerian youths. Nnamani talked down on Obi a couple of times. Many people, especially, the Obidients, did not forgive Nnamani for that.

Secondly, Nnamani’s sudden and inexplicable open romance with the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its Presidential Candidate, now President-elect, Bola Tinubu, put a number of his supporters off. It was difficult for them to take, just as it was for his own Party, the PDP. In fact, at the time he contested on March 18, he was “partyless” as the PDP had expelled him for anti-party activities. He is challenging the expulsion in Court, and insisting he did no wrong in working for another party at the expense of his own party.

The third is, of course, the gruesome murder of Barrister Chukwu. Not a few people voted for his brother, his replacement, out of sympathy.

So, is this the end of Nnamani and his Ebeano political structure?, many people are asking. The structure has suffered a number of political losses recently. Even the State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, lost his Senatorial bid to Labour Party.

At the time of filing this story, the result of the Governornorship election in the State was still being expected. The PDP Candidate, the urbane Peter Mba, is an Ebeano product, and was Senator Nnamani’s Chief of Staff when he was Enugu State Governor. And so was Frank Nweke, the brilliant Governorship Candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.

If both Mba and Nweke lose, it really will be bad news for Dr. Nnamani, politically. But perhaps, Tinubu, who he fondly calls “the City Boy” will accommodate him – somewhere.

Lagos Guber Election: I Am Heartbroken, Ashamed, Shattered – Bode George

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The Source

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March 20, 2023

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The tragic-comedy of the electoral charade was witnessed when a couple was turned back from a polling unit by APC thugs because they look like Igbo. Whereas they are full blooded Yoruba. Sisi Yemi, the affected woman said in a video which has gone viral: ‘I was born in Lagos. I am a Lagos woman. This is my village but I was not allowed to vote because I don’t look like Yoruba. My husband and I were not allowed to vote. They said that we look like Igbo people.’

As a Lagosian, I feel so shattered, so heartbroken that our democracy is now in shambles. What a disgrace! I am close to 80 years now but never in my life have I seen such a despicable and dishonourable way of not allowing people express their right to elect whoever they want. This election, in some places, was completely shambolic. What is going on?

It is disheartening that Lagos State, the bastion of civility, humility, decorum, harmony and respect for the rule of law was, on Saturday, turned to a den of lunatics during the Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

This is no longer democracy. What happened on Saturday, March 18 in Lagos State was utter lunacy, a complete sham perpetrated by demented souls. Our forefathers who founded Lagos, the Aworis and others, will be angry in their graves at those power-hungry fellows who turned everything upside down in their quest to retain power at all cost.

We all know that ‘Oro’ is done in a rural setting, and in the night. But in Lagos, we saw some ‘Oro’ worshippers – fake or real – invoking spiritual insults on other Nigerians in broad daylight. This is a bastardisation of our culture and tradition.

Other states are running their elections smoothly and democratically without violence but reverse is the case in Lagos.

During the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25, soldiers were seen on the road and there was civility. Thugs didn’t mess up. There was complete peace.

So, who ordered that the soldiers should be withdrawn during the Governorship and House of Assembly elections? Was their withdrawal ordered to ensure that thugs had a field day, snatching and burning ballot boxes and papers?

When are we going to be civil in our approach to constitutional democracy?

This is not the Lagos we used to be proud of. This election is a total disgrace to APC as a party and Nigeria as a country.

Due to threats from thugs,

many potential voters returned home in anger without voting.

In many polling units, we watched videos of snatching of ballot boxes/papers by APC thugs. Ballot boxes and papers were also burnt.

Thugs were seen with dangerous weapons invading polling units, threatening voters to either vote for APC or leave.

Some voters were matcheted and shot.

The tragic -comedy of the electoral charade was witnessed when a couple was turned back from a polling unit by APC thugs because they look like Igbo. Whereas they are full blooded Yoruba.

Sisi Yemmie, the affected woman, said in a video which has gone viral: “I was born in Lagos. I am a Lagos woman. This is my village but I was not allowed to vote because I don’t look like Yoruba. My husband and I were not allowed to vote. They said we look like Igbo people. I can’t believe this”.

In the video, she was heard arguing with some APC thugs that she was born in Lagos but the blood-thirsty thugs were adamant and unyielding. Eventually, they were not allowed to vote. What a disgrace!

In democracy, you can’t force anybody on the people. Let the will of the people prevail.

Is this now a mob state? With what happened on Saturday, Lagos is now the centre of ‘Wetie’, with thugs on the rampage, attacking innocent citizens.

Those responsible for this despicable act should be ashamed of themselves and must be brought to justice. I watched videos of armed thugs moving from polling units to units, telling people not to come out and vote if they were not voting for APC. What an affront! What an insult!

Is this no longer about democracy? Do we now have full-blown dictatorship in the land?

Disenfranchising people who have a legal right to vote and excluding them through mob action is a clear indication that Lagos is now under the rule of the mob.

Lagos obviously is being run by a criminal organised network. How else do you explain the level of violence and mayhem witnessed during the election? What we are now experiencing can be likened to international organised crime.

Now, the only seemingly sane institution holding government to account, the media, also came under violent physical attack. Do we really have a government in Lagos? The first responsibility of government is the protection of life and property. Even that, the government in power failed woefully.

The crimes committed at the last election against an unarmed peaceful people trying to exercise their lawful duty and responsibility is no different from war crimes and should be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

At my age, I wonder, like Nathaniel in the Bible who when despaired wondered “if any good thing can come out of Nazareth.”

I am forced to ask myself the same question with events unfolding in Lagos. Can any good thing ever come out of Lagos State now?

More importantly is the worrying and inciting statement by Bayo Onanuga against the lawful Igbo residents in Lagos who contribute immensely to the taxes accruable to the Lagos State Government.

What authority does he have to make such an unguarded inciteful statement against the Igbo?

Bayo Onanuga is not a Lagosian by any standard. These fellows should not make such unacceptable comments against any Nigerian tribe in Lagos, more so that he himself is not a Lagosian.

He should not come from his village and tell us who we can relate to in Lagos. Having lived in Lagos, he obviously has not imbibed the fine and civilised culture of Lagos.

I want to appeal to all in Lagos that we should remain calm and peaceful. We must continue to trust in Almighty God to give us victory on every front as we continue the struggle in our collective cause for the liberation of our state. May God bless us all!

Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George was a former Deputy National Chairman, PDP, and Atona Oodua of Yorubaland

Enugu: Labour Stops Nnamani Senate’s Return

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James Orji

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March 19, 2023

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Chimaroke Nnamani, a former governor of Enugu state has been stopped from returning to the Senate, after losing the election to a less experienced candidate.

The man who truncated his bid to return to the National Assembly , suprisingly, entered the race barely a month ago, after his brother, Oyibo Chukwu who was supposed to contest the senatorial seat under the Labour Party, was brutally killed.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had postponed the senatorial election in Enugu East due to the incident, for the LP to replace the deceased with another candidate.

The former two time governor of the state, had following the postponement boasted that he will go ahead to win the election.

Nnamani said, “We welcome any opportunity for the Independent National Electoral Commission to postpone the Enugu East senatorial election.

“While we strongly condemn the senseless killing of the LP senatorial candidate and others by yet-to-be-identified gunmen, I deeply sympathise with all the bereaved, and urge the security operatives to fish out the perpetrators.

“Any suggestion that the deceased was favoured to win the election is ridiculous, to say the least.”
Kelvin Chukwu, the deceased brother, who entered the race , just few weeks ago has now been declared winner by INEC.

According to the electoral umpire, the LP candidate polled 69, 136 to beat Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who scored 48, 701 votes.

Senator Nnamani had worked against his party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the February 25 presidential election, pulling his weight behind Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, instead.

His decision to support the former Lagos state governor, and now the President-elect, Nnamani said is in agreement with his belief that power must shift to the South, aside the competence of Tinubu, which he said towers above other candidates.

The senator, the magazine recalled, ruled the state with an iron fist between 1999 and 2007, his eight year administration was also marred by thuggery and killing .

The political group he formed at the time, Ebeano, had been blamed for the violence and brutal murder of mostly political opponents that rocked his reign as governor,
The seasenator has, however, denied any culpability.

Ogun: Abiodun Secures Narrow Win; Amosun Shamed

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James Orji

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March 19, 2023

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Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has secured narrow win in the governorship election held on Saturday. The Gateway state is among the 28 states across the country where the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, conducted gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.

INEC has now declared Governor Abiodun, the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of the keenly contested election after defeating his closet rival in the race, Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

“That Abiodun Adedapo Oluseun of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned election,” Prof. Kayode Adebowale, INEC State Returning Officer said.

But the victory ws not a teaparty at all for the governor, who when he contested four years ago with the same candidate, defeated him landslide.

Declaring the incumbent the winner, the electoral umpire said 276, 298 votes to defeat Adebutu who scored 262, 283 votes.

Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, the second runner up also got 94,754 votes despite the backing of a former governor of the state, Senator, Ibikunle Amosun.

Those that followed the election closely had earlier predicted a victory for the PDP candidate after he recorded an early lead against Governor Abiodun, but the tide change after results from Ijebu, the stronghold of the governor started trickling in.

The final governorship results in the state has not stopped surprising many, considering that pundits had predicted a landslide victory for the governor after his party, the APC secured a wide margin of votes against the PDP during the presidential and National Assembly elections held three weeks ago.

The presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu swept the votes while Atiku Abubakar of the PDP trailed him behind.

In spite of the close race, watchers of the state politics said the governor was very lucky to defeat his opponents considering the division in the state’s APC.

A former governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun had a running battle with the governor over the control of the soul of the party in the state. After losing out, he backed another candidate to contest against the governor, his party’s candidate.

His candidate, Otegbeye came a distant third in the election.