May 18, (THEWILL) — Some high and low profile members of the House of Representatives have lost return tickets to the Green Chambers on the platform of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, following the successful conclusion of its primaries on Saturday in 31 states ahead of the 2027 general election.
Although the exercise witnessed allegations of imposition of candidates, unlawful detention and allocation of votes, results so far declared by the party in many constituencies in 12 out of 30 states show that 30 incumbents have lost return tickets.
The 14 affected states are Benue, Cross Rivers, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Plateau.
Unlike in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Borno Kano and Sokoto states where the consensus mode was generally adopted for the conduct of the primaries in many constituencies, the 12 states used the indirect mode in deference to the choice of aspirants. Given the unfolding trend, many lawmakers are expected to consolidated their power, while others face surprising defeats, when the full results are released.
BENUE:
According to the results announced by the party’s National Primary Election Committee, Alhaji Mahuta Saidu, on Sunday six incumbents lost their return tickets.
In Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency, Dr Livinus Tsar polled 28,549 votes to defeat the incumbent, Sesoo Gboko Ikpagher, and 12 others, while David Nongo also polled 17,421 votes to defeat the incumbent, Arch Asema Achado, for Gwer/Gwer West federal constituency.
He further declared that the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dr Peter Ogbodo, emerged the candidate after polling 12,993 votes to defeat incumbent, David Ogewu who scored 120 votes for Obi/Oju federal constituency.
Also, Christopher Ikper, polled 37,844 votes, to defeat incumbent, Dickson Takighir in Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency with 1,746 votes; for Buruku Federal Constituency, Godwin Nyom defeated the incumbent Sekav Iortyom with 1,396 votes. Another serving member who lost his tickets is Mr Terseer Ugbor of Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency
CROSS RIVERS:
Four incumbent lawmakers failed to secure return tickets. Among those who lost their tickets is three-term lawmaker, Mike Etaba, who represents Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, Godwin Offiono of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Dr. Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency, and Bassey Akiba, a former Labour Party member who defected to the APC to contest the Odukpani/Calabar Municipality Federal Constituency seat.
DELTA:
Two incumbent lawmakers have lost their tickets in the results so far declared in Delta State. A former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, defeated incumbent lawmaker, Ngozi Okolie in the primary for Oshimili South Federal Constituency in Delta State.
After 28 years as House of Representative Member Representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency, Hon Nicholas Mutu lost his bid to secure a return ticket during the APC primaries held across Delta State on Saturday. He was defeated by Hon. Basil Okolobaowei Ganagana, a member the Delta State House of Assembly
EDO:
In Edo State, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Professor Julius Ihonvbere lost his bid to return to the House in his Owan Federal Constituency. The scores are as follows, Hon. Andrew Ijegbia scored 3,695 votes. Ho. Abdul Oroh scored 1,740 votes, while Professor Julius Ihonvbere scored 1,005 votes.
Another serving lawmaker, Eseosa Iyawe, lost the APC ticket for Oredo Federal Constituency to former Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu. Iyawe was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the Labour Party before defecting to the APC, recently. Also, Majority Leader, Professor Julius Ihonvbere lost in his Owan —-
EKITI:
In Ekiti State, three incumbents lost their return tickets. They are Oladapo Karounwi who defeated incumbent Abiodun Omoleye in Ekiti Central II, polling 6,573 votes to 2,096.
In Ekiti South I, Okoro Toyin Zaccheaus scored 9,798 votes to defeat incumbent Rufus Adeni Ojuawo, who polled 1,842 votes. Ibrahim Olanrewaju defeated incumbent Kolawole Akinlayo in Ekiti North II by 6,856 votes to 2,102.
IMO:
In Imo State, incumbent House of Representatives members who were denied return tickets include Miriam Onuoha (Okigwe South), Harrison Nwadike (Isu/Njaba/Nkwerre/Nwangele), and Emeka Martins Chinedu (Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency).
JIGAWA:
Four serving lawmakers in Jigawa State lost their return tickets during the primaries. They are Muktar Muhammad (Kazaure/Roni/Gwiwa/Yankwashi), Ibrahim Usman Auyo (Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa), Sa’adu Wada Taura (Ringim/Taura), and Yusif Sa’idu Miga (Jahun/Miga).
KWARA:
Two incumbents failed to secure their return tickets in Kwara. Rafiu Ajakaye, a former Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq defeated incumbent Ismail Tijani, member who currently represents Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun in the House of Representatives. Abdulquawiy Olododo, a serving commissioner, defeated Yinka Aluko, representing Ilorin East/Ilorin South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
KEBBI:
In Kebbi State, former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Jafar Ahmed Jega, defeated incumbent lawmaker Mansur Musa Jega to secure the Jega/Gwandu/Aleiro ticket.
Former Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Yusuf Tanko Sununu, also emerged as the APC candidate for the Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency, defeating, Hon. Umar Garba-Uba who had won in a by-election for the APC to replace the Minister while he was appointed to the President Bola Tnubu’s executive cabinet.
LAGOS:
In the results declared so far, two incumbents have failed to secure return tickets. In Oshodi- Isolo federal Constituency 1, Taiwo Ayedun emerged as the winner defeating the incumbent and other aspirants following the decision of Hon. Lawrence Olanrewaju Iyere and other prominent candidates to step down after his endorsement by the party leadership.
The same scenario played out in Kosofe Federal Constituency where a former Chairman of the local government, Dele Osinowo defeated the incumbent and other aspirants to claim the party ticket. Osinowo polled 18,614 to votes to beat incumbent Kafilat Ogbara, Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs who scored 5,150 votes and Yetunde Arobieke, who got 7,389 votes
NASARAWA:
Two-term member Ari Abdulmumin Muhammad (Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency, 2015–2023) was defeated by Mohammed Al-Bashir Babae Yarima, who polled 31,796 votes to Muhammad’s 9,039 votes. One-term incumbent Jeremia Umaru (Akwanga/Wamba/Nasarawa Eggon) placed second with 4,061 votes, losing to Tony Bala Shammah, who scored 38,333 votes.
NIGER:
Prof. Yakubu Auna emerged winner of the APC primary election for Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency having defeated incumbent Hon. Shehu Saleh.
ONDO:
Olumuyiwa Daramola, son of former Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Prof. Claudius Daramola, defeated incumbent Jimi Odimayo with a landslide (6,547 to 827 votes.
PLATEAU:
In Plateau, incumbent lawmaker Yusuf Gagdi who is Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, failed to secure the party’s ticket for another term. Gagdi, who represents Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was defeated by John Tonshinen in the closely contested primary election. Tonshinen polled 29,968 votes to emerge victorious, while Gagdi scored 5,849 votes.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee, NWC, has issued a directive to all Chairmen of its National Assembly Election Committee on the procedure for conducting the senatorial primaries today.
The National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Mohammed Argungun, in a statement, said the procedure for the collation and announcement of results starts from the Ward to the Local Government, designated constituency collation centres, and then submission of results and reports to the National Headquarters, which will announce the final results.
“Accordingly, no committee is permitted to conduct media briefing within their respective states of assignment,” he said, adding that, “Any official briefing where necessary shall be conducted exclusively in Abuja after the submission of the results.”
THEWILL gathered that the fallout of the House of Representatives primaries informed the directive. Sources say that some of the governors failed to assist some preferred incumbents to win in the constituencies at the instruction of the President.
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Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
