2023 Nasarawa State gubernatorial election
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The 2023 Nasarawa State gubernatorial election will take place on 18 March 2023, to elect the
The primaries, scheduled for between 4 April and 9 June 2022, resulted in Sule being renominated by the All Progressives Congress by a wide margin on 26 May while the Peoples Democratic Party nominated former House of Representatives member David Ombugadu on 25 May.[4][5]
Electoral system
The
Background
Ahead of his term, Sule pledged to complete the previous administration's projects, further rural electrification, and rehabilitate transportation infrastructure. In terms of his performance, Sule was praised for providing financial autonomy to local government areas but criticized for failing to follow through on promises.[6][7]
Primary elections
The primaries, along with any potential challenges to primary results, were to take place between 4 April and 3 June 2022 but the deadline was extended to 9 June.[2][8] The primaries, along with any potential challenges to primary results, were to take place between 4 April and 3 June 2022 but the deadline was extended to 9 June.[2][8]
All Progressives Congress
In the years before the primary, the state APC underwent a small-scale dispute between two senators that used to be governor: Abdullahi Adamu and Umaru Tanko Al-Makura while Sule and Senator Godiya Akwashiki mostly stood on the sidelines but leaned towards Al-Makura. The disagreement intensified into a subtle cold war when Adamu resigned from the Senate to become APC National Chairman in March 2022 and gained extensive power over the party at-large leading to rumours that he was planning on replacing Al-Makura and Akwashiki with closer allies. If the wrangling escalated, analysts said it had the potential to impact party unity and thus the ability for effective campaigning in the general election.[9][10]
On the primary date, Sule defeated his sole opponent—Fatima Hussain Abdullahi—winning the nomination near-unanimously. In his acceptance speech, Sule thanked the delegates and Abdullahi for contesting; Abdullahi congratulated Sule and pledged her support for his general election campaign.[4] A few weeks after the primary, Sule formed a party reconciliation committee as, despite the straightforward gubernatorial primary, the party divided over accusations that Adamu manipulated delegate lists for two senate primaries including the successful primary challenge to Akwashiki.[17][18][19]
Nominated
- Abdullahi Sule: Governor (2019–present)[20][4]
- Running mate—Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe: Deputy Governor (2019–present)
Eliminated in primary
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
APC | Abdullahi Sule | 698 | 99.57% | |
APC | Fatima Hussain Abdullahi | 3 | 0.43% | |
Total votes | 701 | 100.00% | ||
Turnout | 701 | 95.37% |
People's Democratic Party
Analysts viewed the PDP gubernatorial primary as a contest between two major internal party groupings, the group led by former senator Solomon Ewuga and another group led by state party chairman Francis Orogu. In April 2022, the Ewuga-led group met in Abuja with the goal of consolidating behind one candidate and reportedly settled on attempting to coax former minister Labaran Maku into the party to back his candidacy; later that month, Maku did rejoin the PDP after eight years in APGA. Around the same time, the Orogu-led bloc also held a meeting to line up behind a single candidate with some sources stating that retired army general Nuhu Angbazo may have emerged as the bloc's candidate.[22][23] To ensure party unity, Orogu held a meeting on 25 April with Maku, Angbazo, and David Ombugadu (the other candidate) where all three committed to working together to unseat Sule irrespective of the primary winner.[24]
Early on the day of the primary, Maku suddenly withdrew from the election without a stated reason or grievance.[28] When the primary held later that day, Ombugadu defeated Angbazo by about 10% of the delegates' votes. While Ombugadu promised to lead the party to victory, Angbazo accepted the results and affirmed the previous arrangement to work to support the party nominee.[5] In June, Ombugadu's running mate was announced as Yahaya Usman-Ohinoyi—former House of Assembly member—at a meeting with PDP State Working Committee members in Lafia.[29]
Nominated
- David Ombugadu: former House of Representatives member for Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba (2011–2019) and 2019 PDP gubernatorial nominee[5]
- Running mate—Yahaya Usman-Ohinoyi: former House of Assembly member[29]
Eliminated in primary
- Nuhu Angbazo: former Army major general and son of Aren Eggon Bala Abaine Angbazo[30][5]
Withdrew
- Labaran Maku: National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (2015–2022), 2015 and 2019 APGA gubernatorial nominee, former Minister of Information (2010–2014), and former Deputy Governor (2003–2007)[31][28]
Declined
- Nasarawa South(2007–2019) and former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs (2003–2006)
- Yusuf Agabi: 2015 PDP gubernatorial nominee
- Solomon Ewuga: 2019 PDP gubernatorial candidate, former Senator for Nasarawa North (2012–2015), former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (1999–2001), and former Deputy Governor (1999)
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
PDP | David Ombugadu | 247 | 54.89% | |
PDP | Nuhu Angbazo | 203 | 45.11% | |
Total votes | 450 | 100.00% | ||
Turnout | 450 | Unknown |
Minor parties
- Inusa Mohammed Anga (Accord)[32]
- Running mate: Murtala Aliyu[32]
- Action Alliance)[32]
- Running mate: Lantana Mohammed Ozegya[32]
- Patricia Danlami Tsakpa (Action Democratic Party)[32]
- Running mate: Adamu Sidi Bakyano[32]
- Alaku Godwin William (African Democratic Congress)[32]
- Running mate: Rufaidah Talatu Osede[32]
- Mohammed Suleiman Awwal (Allied Peoples Movement)[33][32]
- Running mate: Obile Augustine Otso[32]
- Matthew Avre Ombugaku (All Progressives Grand Alliance)[32]
- Running mate: Baba Dauda Sarki[32]
- Joseph Ewuga (Labour Party)[32][34]
- Running mate: Ibrahim Suleiman[32]
- New Nigeria Peoples Party)[32]
- Running mate: Adams Gwamna Nyisana[35][32]
- National Rescue Movement)[32]
- Running mate: Kyauta Atnadu Bawa[32]
- Yusuf Musa Nagogo (People's Redemption Party)[32]
- Running mate: Okara Mathew Godiya[32]
- Mohammed Alfa Mustapha (Social Democratic Party)[32]
- Running mate: Alex Ogah Ewolo Kana[32]
-
- Running mate: Monday Sunday Abimiku[32]
Campaign
After the primaries, analysts noted the main change from the previous two gubernatorial elections:
Throughout the campaign, pundits focused on Nasarawa's competitiveness on the presidential level as the state's margin was about 36,000 votes in 2015 when it was won by Goodluck Jonathan (PDP) and only around 6,000 votes in 2019 when Muhammadu Buhari (APC) won it.[37] This focus lead to intense attention on the statewide results in the 2023 presidential election; Peter Obi (LP) won the state with 35% of the vote, beating Bola Tinubu (APC) at 33% and Atiku Abubakar (PDP) at 27%. The result, along with APC senatorial defeats to the PDP and SDP, led observers to question Sule's chances in the gubernatorial election amid the losses and APC crisis.[42][43] Considering that LP gubernatorial nominee Joseph Ewuga stepped down for Ombugadu on 9 March, analysts noted Ombugadu's rise and further breakdowns in intra-APC relationship.[44][45]
Conduct
Electoral timetable
On 26 February 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission released the timetable, setting out key dates and deadlines for the election.[46] Months later on 27 May 2022, INEC made a slight revision to the timetable, allowing parties extra time to conduct primaries.[47]
- 28 February 2022 – Publication of Notice of Election
- 4 April 2022 – First day for the conduct of party primaries
- 9 June 2022[a] – Final day for the conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them
- 1 July 2022 – First day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal
- 15 July 2022 – Final day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal
- 12 October 2022 – Commencement of the official campaign period
- 16 March 2023[b] – Final day of the official campaign period
General election
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | ||||
AA
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ADP | ||||
APP
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AAC | ||||
ADC | ||||
APM | ||||
APC | ||||
APGA | ||||
BP | ||||
LP | ||||
New Nigeria Peoples Party
|
||||
NRM
|
||||
PDP | ||||
PRP | ||||
SDP | ||||
YPP | ||||
ZLP
|
||||
Total votes | 100.00% | |||
Turnout |
By senatorial district
The results of the election by senatorial district.
Senatorial District | Abdullahi Sule APC |
David Ombugadu PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | ||
Nasarawa North Senatorial District[c]
|
TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Nasarawa South Senatorial District[d]
|
TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Nasarawa West Senatorial District[e]
|
TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
By federal constituency
The results of the election by federal constituency.
Federal Constituency | Abdullahi Sule APC |
David Ombugadu PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | ||
Akwanga/Nasarawa/Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency[f] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Awe/Doma/Keana Federal Constituency[g] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency[h] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency[i] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Nassarawa/Toto Federal Constituency[j] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
By local government area
The results of the election by local government area.
LGA | Abdullahi Sule APC |
David Ombugadu PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | Turnout Percentage | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | |||
Akwanga | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Awe | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Doma | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Eggon
|
TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Karu | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Keana | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Keffi | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Kokona | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Lafia | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Nasarawa | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Obi | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Toto | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Wamba | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
See also
Notes
- ^ The original deadline was 3 June; however, INEC pushed it back to 9 June at the behest of parties.[48]
- ^ The original deadline was 9 March; however, INEC pushed it back to 16 March.[49]
- Eggon, and Wamba.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Awe, Doma, Keana, Lafia and Obi.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Nasarawa and Toto.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Akwanga, Eggon, and Wamba.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Awe, Doma, and Keana.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Karu, Keffi, and Kokona.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Lafia and Obi.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Nasarawa and Toto.
References
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- ^ Daily Trust. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
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- ^ a b c d e "Gov Sule wins Nasarawa APC guber ticket". Premium Times. News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Former Rep member clinches Nasarawa PDP guber ticket". Premium Times. News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ThisDay. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
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Sule has remained largely anonymous for exhibiting poor vision and showing contentment for the ordinary.
- ^ a b James, Dominic. "Primaries: INEC Grants Parties Six Extra Days, Timetable Remains Unchanged". INEC News. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
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- ^ Ukaibe, Chibuzo. "2023: PDP Fixes New Date For Gov'ship Primaries". Leadership. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- ^ a b Sunday, Collins. "Labaran Maku withdraws from Nasarawa PDP governorship race". The Punch. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ a b David, Michael. "2023: Nasarawa PDP Guber Standard Bearer Picks Ex- Lawmaker As Running Mate". Independent Nigeria. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ Manga, Ajegena. "General Angbazo Joins Nasarawa State Governorship Race". People Reporters. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
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- ^ Sunday, Collins. "Nasarawa LP gov candidate steps down, backs PDP". The Punch. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ "Presidential Election Results May Affect Guber Races In 10 States". Leadership. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
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- ^ James, Dominic. "Primaries: INEC Grants Parties Six Extra Days, Timetable Remains Unchanged". INEC News. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ Suleiman, Qosim. "It's Official: INEC postpones Saturday's governorship, state assembly elections". Premium Times. Retrieved 15 March 2023.