Official: Voters reject Dankwambo, Ajimobi, Kwankwaso for Senate

The electoral ‘sword of Damocles’  was dangled on  Ibrahim Dankwambo  and Abiola Ajimobi, both governors of Gombe and Oyo states respectively as they  failed  to win their senatorial bids.  

Dankwambo of the Peoples Democratic Party lost the Gombe North senatorial seat to Sa’idu Alkali, the  All Progressives Congress candidate , while Ajimobi, who contested on the platform of the ruling APC could not secure the mandate of  the electorate in Oyo South senatorial  district  to represent them in the red chamber.

Ajimobi, who was in the Senate between 2003 and 2007 lost the ticket to PDP’s Muhammed Kola Balogun.

Whereas Alkali scored 152,546 votes, Dankwambo finished second with 88,016 votes.

Also, the PDP candidate amassed a total of 105,720 votes as against the 92,217 votes polled by Ajimobi.

The duo joined the list of high profile senators, including Senate President Bukola Saraki, George Akume, Barnabas Gemade and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso among others, whose desire to return to the red chambers met a brick wall as they failed to secure the mandate of their constituents to return.

Also, Ahmed Ogembe of the PDP lost his bid to retain the Kogi Central senatorial district to APC’s Oseni Yakubu.

Incumbent Senator Suleiman Adokwe could not stop Governor Umaru Al-Makura, who secured the mandate of the Nasarawa South senatorial district to join the league of governors that have found their ways to the upper chamber.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance’s Senator Victor Umeh lost the Anambra Central seat to Uche Ekwunife of PDP, while Senator Danjuma La’ah (PDP-Kaduna South) won the Kaduna South Senatorial district to return to the Senate.

Former governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu (1999-2007) also won the Abia North senatorial district election on the APC platform, defeating the incumbent, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa of PDP.

Among the high profile returnees are Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Aliyu Wamako(Sokoto), Kabiru Gaya(Kano), while  the likes of Barnabas Gemade, George Akume and Andy Uba failed in their return bids.

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