- Senators Nwoko, Daniel, Izunaso, Udende, Zam, Mustapha, others stumble–Protests, trail exercises as Adegbonmire escapes death in Ondo
- Omo-Agege, Ize-Iyamu, Zailani, Arise, others reject results
LAGOS — While the final results of the House of Representatives and Senate primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, are awaited, no fewer than 70 of the party’s 330 serving lawmakers in the National Assembly will not return in 2027.APC has 242 Reps and 88 senators, most of whom are seeking re-election.
Rep Donatus Matthew, famously known as okada rider, who was elected on the platform of the Labour Party, LP, to represent Kaura Constituency, Kaduna, but defected to the APC, recently, headline legislators who will not return. He was disqualified during screening by the APC hierarchy.
Former LP federal lawmakers, who defected to the APC only to lose their re-election tickets in the APC primaries include: Esosa Iyawe, who lost Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo State to Dr. Paddy Iyamu; Senator Neda Imasuen, Edo South; Tochukwu Okere (Imo); Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau) among others.
APC Senators, who will not return on account of losing the primaries, withdrawing or stepping down include Senators Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East); Diket Plang (Plateau Central); Osita Izunaso (Imo West); Emmanuel Udende (Benue North-East); Titus Zam (Benue West); Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central); Saliu Mustapha (Kwara) and Ned Nwoko (Delta North).
Currently, subject to ratification of the APC hierarchy, no fewer than 58 Reps and 12 senators won’t return as they cannot pursue their aspirations on another platform because of the new Electoral Act and guidelines. Parties’ submission of membership registers lapsed May 10.
Protests, complaints
Meanwhile, protests and complaints are hallmarking the outcome of the primaries across the country as the APC prepares for tomorrow’s governorship primaries with many aspirants kicking. Indeed, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN, representing Ondo Central, narrowly escaped harm after armed thugs attacked him and his supporters at his polling unit during the exercise.
This was as the party tongue-lashed primaries supervising committees for announcing results without recourse to the National Secretariat.
Senator Adegbonmire escapes death in Ondo
Senator Adegbonmire narrowly escaped harm after armed thugs attacked him and his supporters at his polling unit during the senatorial primary.
The attack occurred at Okilisa Ward 5 in Akure. Eye-witnesses said gunmen stormed the venue, fired sporadically, and shot at the senator’s vehicle after it became clear he was leading the vote count.
Party members on the queue, delegates, officials, and journalists scampered for safety. Some women were injured in the melee.
The disruption also caused panic at nearby Ebenezer Primary School. Parents rushed to pick up their children amid fears of stray bullets.
Security operatives intervened quickly and evacuated Adegbonmire from the venue, leading to a temporary halt of the exercise.
Speaking after the incident, Adegbonmire described the process as a “complete charade” and alleged widespread intimidation and violence targeted at his supporters across Ondo Central.
Adegbonmire said voting had started peacefully, with members lining up behind their preferred aspirants. When counting showed his line was in the lead, thugs invaded, fired shots, and assaulted supporters.
My supporters were about 400 and there were three lines — mine in the middle, Taiwo Fasoranti on the right and Adu’s on the left. They started counting my line first because it was the longest. “But while they were counting the other line and it became glaring that we were leading, thugs invaded the place, started shooting in the air and even shot at my car,” he said.Meanwhile, some of the aspirants in both the House of Representatives and the Senate have rejected the results and conduct of the exercise.Speaking on the senatorial primaries in the central senatorial district, Olumuyiwa Adu, accused armed thugs of hijacking the primaries in Ondo State, alleging widespread intimidation and imposition of candidates, adding that the process could not be described as a democratic election.
