Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the winner of last weekend’s governorship election held in the state.
Africa Today News, New York reports that Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress cleared 19 out of the 20 local government areas of the state in the election.
The declaration was made in the early hours of Monday, March 20, by Professor Adenike Oladeji who is the Returning Officer of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Lagos State.
Sanwo-Olu, who polled 762,134 votes, defeated his closest rival, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party who polled 312,329 and followed by Olajide Adeniran of the Peoples Democratic Party who polled 62,449 votes.
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The total number of registered voters in the state is 7,060,195, but the number of accredited voters for the poll was 1,182,620.
While the incumbent governor cleared 19 out of 20 LGAs, his opponent, Rhodes-Vivour, won in only one LG, Amuwo-Odofin.
Announcing the result of the election at about, Oladiji who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, said, ‘I hereby declare that Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, having satisfied the requirements of the law by having 25 percent of the total of the LGAs of the states and also having the highest number of votes cast and meeting the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner. ‘
In the meantime, the Labour Party rejected the results.
In Lagos Island Local Government Area, Sanwo-Olu polled 37,760 votes; in Apapa, 21,007; Epe 29,614; Agege 35,845; Ajeromi-Ifelodun 39,798; Ikeja 32,273; Mushin 52,249; Surulere 42,451; Ibeju-Lekki 19,369; Ifako-Ijaiye 38,682; Badagry 41,482; Lagos Mainland; 26,021; Alimosho 83,631;Ojo 30,797; Ikorodu 64,697; Kosofe 49,344; Oshodi-Isolo 46,792; Somolu 36,783; and Eti-Osa APC – 25,963.
Sanwo-Olu’s only loss by local government was at Amuwo-Odofin where the candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, polled 34,860 to defeat APC which polled 17,576 votes.
Sanwo-Olu polled 762,124 votes in the election, defeating 15 other candidates to retain his governorship seat in the state. Rhodes-Vivour of LP had the second-highest votes with 312,329 while the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Olajide Adediran, clinched the third-highest number of votes of 62,449.