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With the last phase of the 2019 General Elections almost concluded, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu and Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, report on the results and how it would likely impact on the states
Considering the upsets in the May 13 Governorship and National Assembly Elections, there is the likelihood that the politics of some states may change fundamentally. Aside the situation where the ruling party in the state lost to the opposition, thus ushering-in new sets of political leaders and fundamental changes in the politics of the state, we also have situations where the ruling party becomes more entrenched or where the opposition gained more grounds, thus setting the stage for a more robust politicking.
Already, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared 22 governors-elect and announced that the exercise in six states were inconclusive even as it promised to hold the extra elections on March 23 and to review the case of Rivers State.
The states where INEC will organise supplementary elections include Sokoto, Bauchi, Adamawa, Plateau, Benue and Kano.
Out of the 22 states where governors-elect were announced, All Progressives Congress (APC) got 13 while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in nine states. No other political party that contested in the race got any state seat of power.
It is interesting to note that seven, out of the nine governorship seats PDP got so far, were serving governors who won re-election. They include Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Ben Ayade (Cross River); David Umahi (Ebonyi); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Dairus Ishaku (Taraba). The other two governors-elect that PDP got would be new governors. They are Emeka Ihedioha (Imo) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo). The two new PDP governors dislodged ruling APC.
*All but one of the states so far won by the opposition party are in the Southeast and the Southsouth. Only two of the elected governors are coming into office afresh.
The seven incumbent governors who have been declared governors-elect are: Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Ben Ayade (Cross River); David Umahi (Ebonyi); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Dairus Ishaku (Taraba).
Out of the 13 states where APC's candidates were declared as governors-elect, the dislodged PDP in two; in Gombe (Inuwa Yahaya) and in Kwara (AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq).
New governors-elect on the ticket of APC include Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Mai Mala Buni (Yobe); Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa); Muktar Idris (Zamfara) and Prof Babagana Zulum (Borno).
Serving APC governors that have been declared governors-elect include Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina); Abubakar Bello (Niger); Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi) and Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa).
Informed observers contend that the results of this year's Governorship and State Assembly Elections suggest a more robust politics in the next four years.
In 2015, President Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the presidential election in Kwara State, polling 302,146 votes, while the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP polled 132, 602 votes. It was the first time the state voted against the presidential candidate of the PDP since 2003 , and the party lost to APC with almost 200, 000 votes.
Many people attributed that feat to the presence of Senate President Bukola Saraki in the APC. Thus, when, in the build up to the just concluded 2019 general elections, Saraki and his allies, including Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, dumped the APC and returned to the PDP, not a few pundits foreclosed victory for the APC in the state. The PDP, they said, will return to its winning ways in Kwara. But hardly had Saraki settled into the PDP that a new political movement, "O to ge" erupted in the state.
The rate at which the APC's 'O To Ge' (Yoruba for Enough is Enough) mantra caught fire like dry leaves in the harmattan, soon became a source of worry for the Senate President and his political family. The emergence of the APC's candidate, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, from a noble family like the Saraki's also changed the usual scenario where Saraki would confidently boast of the support of the royals and elites in the state.
In a jiffy, the creme de la creme in Ilorin were sharply divided in their support for APC and PDP ahead of the general election on account of Abdulrazaq's candidature. What followed was a spate of violence that is unprecedented in the history of the state. With the ruling PDP unwilling to leave office and the opposition APC determined to take office, Kwara became a theatre of political machinations and animations like never before.
And when it was time for the first bout, the presidential and national assembly elections, despite the power of incumbency and the huge influence of money politics, Saraki and his gang was humbled. The defeat of the Senate President's party was so massive that he lost a chance to return to the senate, losing to a relatively less known opponent in Kwara Central District. PDP's two other senatorial candidates also lost to the rampaging APC.
The APC also cleared majority of the House of Representatives seats. To show their firm resolve to reject the political leadership of Bukola Saraki and their disapproval of the ruling PDP in the state, in the presidential election, the people of Kwara state voted massively for APC with 302,146 votes compared to PDP's meagre 32,602.
Following the outcome of the governorship and state assembly elections that saw APC winning not just the guber seat but also the state assembly seats, Saraki and the PDP were effectively uprooted from the corridors of power in the state. Those who should know say the problems with PDP in the state are wrong choice of candidate; Saraki's alleged overbearing attitude: the internal schism that followed his defection back to PDP from APC and the bad blood generated by the PDP guber primary election.
The the sudden loss of support from the federal government and the cold shoulder towards the party by some erstwhile prominent chieftains, including PDP financier in the state, Hajiya Bola Shagaya, Dele Belgore and Senator Gbemi Saraki are, among others, are other reasons the party failed. On its part, APC has gained more supporters with its ability to galvanized the people of the state into action using the O to ge movement.
Verdict: APC stronger, PDP in coma
There was no governorship poll in Kogi State but the struggle for the control of the State House of Assembly between APC and PDP was a very tense one. Also pitching the two leading party against each other was the elections into the senate and the House of Representatives. Chieftains of the two parties have been at each other's throat for a while now, leading to a number of violent clashes.
The APC won the presidential election in the state. President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC won the presidential election with overall votes of 285, 894 to defeat his main challenger, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP who polled 218,207 votes. Buhari led Atiku with a wide margin of 67,687 votes. The APC won in 14 local government areas while the PDP picked 7 LGAs. The APC also won majority of the seats into the national assembly.
Candidates of APC won in Bassa, Ibaji, Okehi, Adavi, Ogori-Magongo, Idah, Ijumu, Kabba/Bunu Yagba West and Yagba East state constituencies during the state assembly election. The APC candidates also won in Okene Constituency 1 and 2, Ankpa Constituency 1 and 2, Ajaokuta, Mopa-Muro, Kogi, Olamaboro Dekina 2 and Lokoja 2 constituencies. Elections in Lokoja Constituency 1 and Omala LGA were inconclusive.
The outcome of the 2015 general election in Kogi, contrary to many predictions, has shown that the APC is still very much acceptable to the people of the state. On the other hand, in spite of the victory of its poster boy, Senator Dino Melaye in Kogi West, the PDP appears to be settling into its second position status in the state without much ado.
But many people are quick to argue that APC's relative success in the general election was aided by the absence of Governor Yahaya Bello's name on the ballot papers. In spite of their obvious love for Buhari across the state, so many issues are making the governor unpopular with the people of the state. The governor's inability to pay salaries and pensions remains a big issue.
It is left to be seen if Bello, who is Ebirra and remains very popular in his home stead of Kogi Central Senatorial District, will lead the party to similar victories across the state when he vies for re-election soon. For this to happen, analysts say he must end the fierce internal crisis that is tearing the ruling party apart under his watch.
Verdict: APC strong, PDP coming up
Before the 2015 presidential election, Benue State was one of the few remaining states the PDP was sure of winning. Since 1999 till then, the state had voted the PDP and as such, it boasted of more PDP chieftains than those of others parties. Surprisingly for the PDP, the people of the state opted to follow the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari in that election four years ago. Buhari polled 373, 961 votes to defeat Jonathan who got 303, 737 votes.
In addition, the APC went ahead to win the state governorship poll weeks later and Governor Samuel Ortom was sworn in as governor to end the political hold of the PDP on the state. But the new status didn't last long in spite of the political heavyweights paraded by the new ruling party in the state. Trouble started soon as Senator George Akume, leader of the APC in the state and Governor Ortom soon fell out.
Ortom, who had a running battle with the federal government over the handling of clashes between herdsmen and farmers in his state, eventually left the APC, he went to the PDP with a good number of heavyweights, thereby depleting the political strength of his former party while bolstering the PDP which still had former Governor Gabriel Suswam as leader.
Thus, the two frontline political parties slugged it out in their bid to take charge of the state in the just concluded general elections. Expectedly, the campaigns were largely personality-based, but was also coloured by economics, ethnicity and religion in the light of the herdsmen killings witnessed in the last two to three years and the inability of Governor Ortom to pay workers' salaries and carry out developmental projects across the state.
Ortom capitalized on the farmers-herders crises as a weapon to secure his second term ticket and win the state for the PDP. The anti-Fulani sentiments in the state have grown to the extent that President Buhari and APC were despised in many parts of the state. The joining of forces by Ortom and ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam, who has an axe to grind for being put on trial for alleged corruption by the APC administration, made the PDP more formidable.
To make matters worse for the APC, it lost Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue North-East), to another party. He contested in the elections as the senatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), while Senator George Akume (Benue North-West) the leader of the APC in the state, ran as the candidate of the APC. He worked hard to install his political associate, Emmanuel Jime, as the governor of the state.
The two parties fought hard but as things stand today, the PDP had the upper hand. Akume's efforts were not enough to keep the APC up in the struggle as he even lost his senate re-election bid.n The APC also lost the presidential election to the PDP. Its candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, emerged winner of the presidential election in the state with 355,255 votes while Buhari of APC got 347,668.
The PDP also snatched all the three senatorial seat from the APC. Ex-governor Gabriel Suswam won the Benue North East seat, another PDP chieftain, Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev emerged winner in Benue North West while former Minister, Patrick Abba Moro, also of the PDP, will represent Benue South in the upper chamber of the national assembly.
And when it was time for the governorship election, the PDP once again took the lead. The process was eventually declared inconclusive and supplementary elections have been ordered in the state by INEC for March 23. But not a few analysts believe the PDP is poised to win the race given the comfortable lead it currently enjoys ahead of APC.
At the end of the inconclusive gubernatorial election in Benue state, Governor Samuel Ortom of the PDP got 410, 576. His closest rival, Emmanuel Jime of the APC got 329, 022 at the close of the first ballot. Going by the result released by INEC, PDP and Ortom currently leads the governorship contest with 81,554 votes. The two frontline candidates will be slugging out for 121, 011 votes in the affected polling units across the state.
But analysts say it is going to be very difficult for APC, which also lost the last presidential and national assembly elections in the state to the PDP, to overturn the deficit and win the supplementary election. "PDP will most likely go ahead to consolidate its lead at the extra polls on its way to finally retaining the troubled state in its political kitty till 2023," an analyst said.
As things stand today, the PDP has been able to bounce back, not just to political reckoning, but political leadership of the north-central state, pushing the APC deeper back into the opposition. Many frontline chieftains of the APC have also dumped the party and returned to the PDP ahead of the general elections. The APC now operates from the position of a weakened former ruling party.
Verdict: PDP bounced back, APC deflated
In 2015, the APC, which had lost the presidential election to the then ruling PDP, bounced back to win the governorship seat a fortnight later. It was the first time the PDP will be losing the governorship of the state since 1999. Subsequently, the APC took charge of the state and it was as if the PDP has gone to sleep across the state. But few days to the 2019 presidential election, the political climate in Plateau State became as uncertain as it was in 2015.
The main issue in Plateau for the 2019 general elections has to do with the security challenge in the state. The people of the state are divided in their opinion as regard how well the APC administration has handled the menace of killer herdsmen across the country. Governor Simon Lalong of the APC and his party had a huge task battling the propagandas the PDP wielded around this issue.
The PDP's campaign in the state was led by 75-year old Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni, who was a former Minister of FCT under the late Military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha. He is a serving senator and the gubernatorial candidate of the opposition party. He marshaled the opposition party and its chieftains to deliver the state to Atiku in the presidential election last February.
The PDP won 11 out of the 17 local government areas of Plateau State while the APC won six in the presidential election. The PDP scored a total of 548,665 votes while the APC scored a total of 468,555 votes, with the difference being 80,110. The party also gave the APC a good fight in the national assembly elections, winning one senatorial seat, just like APC, while the third is to be decided in a re-run poll.
At the conclusion of the first round, it was obvious that the PDP meant business. Another issue that played a key role is ethnicity which ex-Governor Jonah Jang, also a chieftain of the PDP, has exploited in the past to sustain the party. The absence of imprisoned ex-Governor Joshua Dariye also created a setback for APC though the governor was able to accommodate his structure in the scheme of things.
But in the inconclusive guber race, Governor Lalong of the APC got 583, 255 to lead Senator Useni of the PDP with 44,929 votes. Useni got 538, 326. The duo will be fighting for the outstanding 49,377 votes. But many analysts say the election is APC's to win. With only 49, 377 votes to be contested for in the affected polling units, and APC already comfortably leading with 44, 929, the opposition party looks defeated already.
Aside from its comfortable lead, the ruling APC also pocketed majority of the state assembly seats to show its acceptance across the state. APC sure benefited from the performance of Governor Lalong, which has been adjudged by many to be commendable, especially his ability to restore and maintain peace in the troubled parts of the North central state. His relationship with civil servants in the state is also a plus for the ruling party.
Verdict: APC still strong, PDP in comeback bid
The 2019 general election marked the final annihilation of the PDP in Niger state. Though Governor Abubakar Sani Bello encountered a lot of political challenges that could have made APC falter in the state, the goodwill of Buhari turned out a huge asset. The president is still adored in the state. His party and its candidates benefitted immensely from this.
President Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the APC in the presidential elections, scored 612,371 votes in Niger. Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the PDP scored 218,052 votes. Buhari also won in all the 25 councils of the state, to bolster the popularity of the ruling party across the state. The APC also won the three senatorial seats and other national assembly seats.
In the guber contest, Governor Abubakar Bello of the APC defeated his major challenger, Umar Nasko of the PDP, in a landslide victory. Bello polled 526,412 votes to defeat Nasko who had 298,065 votes. The APC also won majority of the House of Assembly seats to further show the world that it is the party loved by the people of Niger state.
Going forward, the governor should try and met the expectations of the masses of the state. Before the general election, anywhere he went, he was always greeted with the chant of "So daya" (one term) by the people. He also suffered attacks while campaigning in Bida and Erena in Shiroro Local Government Area. The governor also benefited from the goodwill of his father, Col. Sani Bello (a former Military Governor of the state); the benevolence of his in-laws having married the daughter of a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and allegiance to power rotation formula in the state irrespective of whether a governor has performed or not.
Verdict: APC still in charge
The APC won back its pride of place in Nasarawa and further confirmed its hold on the state during the 2019 presidential election. President Buhari of the APC defeated Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. President Buhari polled 289,903 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar who scored 283,847votes. The APC won the state by a margin of 6,056 votes
During the 2015 presidential election, the then President Jonathan of the PDP, surprisingly won the presidential election in Nasarawa State, defeating main challenger Buhari of the APC. It was a surprise because the state has always been a stronghold of Buhari's even when he had no formidable political platform to contest on. Jonathan polled 273, 460, Buhari polled 236, 838 votes. Since then, the APC had been kept on its toes by the opposition in the state.
And at the end of the governorship contest in the state, Abdullahi Sule of the APC was declared winner. The APC candidate polled a total of 327,229 votes to defeat other opponents in the election. David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 184,281 votes, while Labaran Maku of the All Progressives Grand Alliance polled a total of 132,784 votes at the election.
The wide margin with which the ruling party defeated its rivals has been described as a testament of the growing popularity of the APC in the state. The result as released by INEC, indicated that APC won in 11 out of the 13 local government areas of the state while Maku of APGA and Umar Aliyu Doma of Zenith Labour Party won in Nasarawa Eggon and Doma local government areas respectively.
All Progressives Congress (APC) also won 14 out of 20 seats at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly election so far declared by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). PDP won five while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) won one. Four of the 24 House of Assembly seats in the state were declared inconclusive.
Al-Makura's decision to stamp his feet and allow power to shift from Nasarawa South District to Nasarawa North District for fairness and equity, paid off, having deflated the anticipated winning formula of the opposition. This in turn shored up the popularity of the ruling party in the north where the PDP held sway before now. This is expectedly impacted in favor of the parties candidates.
Verdict: APC stronger, PDP weakened
Adamawa State is one of the states yet to have a completed Governorship and House of Assembly Elections. The hotly contested elections were declared inconclusive.
Even before the March 13 Governorship Elections, we have reported that no state gives the APC leadership more headaches than Adamawa where it lost two senatorial seats contrary to the pre-election permutations. From the results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, it was obvious that the state identified with its son, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who was the presidential candidate of the PDP.
Explaining the uniqueness of the politics of the state, we also reported in our last predictions that more than any state in the federation, the 28 governorship candidates were drawn from different religious groups.
We also reported that going by performance, Governor Jibrila Bindow's achievements will make it an easy ride for APC. We noted however that some political leaders are angry with the governor and that other local issues may be thrown up to influence the results of the election. The Nation had noted after the presidential elections that with a slim win of 410, 266 votes by PDP over APC's 378, 078, the governorship contest is still open in Adamawa. We observed that the contest is important to both parties. President Buhari needs to pacify a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the younger brother of the First Lady, Dr. Modi who are leading the assault against the return of Bindow, while Atiku would desire nothing more than retaining a PDP state government in his home.
Although the final results of the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections in the state will only emerge after the supplementary polls, the results that were announced have given observers inkling to what is likely to happen.
It was reported that PDP's Ahmadu Fintiri, a former acting governor, was leading as at the time INEC halted the announcements.
Confirming the inconclusiveness of the election, the Returning Officer, Prof. Andrew Haruna, said the number of cancellations was higher than the margin of lead votes between the two contestants and therefore, a new date for the rerun election would be fixed.
He said the development was necessitated by the margin of votes between the two top candidates which is lesser than total votes voided in about 40 polling units.
He explained that there are 40,988 votes that were cancelled in 44 polling units across the state.
"The margin of lead is 32,476; and going by the margin of lead which is backed up by law in the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections," he said.
As would be expected, the two parties are working hard to win the March 23 Supplementary Elections. While APC is desperate to retain the Northeast state, the PDP is doing anything possible to get its presidential candidate's state. Whichever gets the state will mean a lot in the political balance in the Northeast. As an observer puts it, the battle for the soul of Adamawa is not just between Bindow and Fintiri but also between Buhari and Atiku.
Verdict: PDP and APC are strong here
Bauchi is another state where the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections was declared inconclusive.
Prof. Mohammed Kyari, Returning Officer, who made the declaration, said that apart from the cancellation of the result from entire Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area because of irregularities, the exercise in some other polling units also suffered the same fate.
"The margin between the winner and opponent is less than the total number of votes cancelled in some polling units.
"By law, since the margin of winner is less than the total number of votes cancelled and registered voters in the areas where the votes have been cancelled, this elections is hereby declared inconclusive," he said.
He added that his decision was in line with section 26, part 53 of the Electoral Act.
The Returning Officer also gave the scores of incumbent governor, Mohammed Abubakar of APC as 465,453 votes and that of Bala Mohammed of PDP as 469,512 votes.
Even before the elections, The Nation has reported that Bauchi is one of the hot states to watch. Although all the candidates signed a peace accord on December 21, 2018, the political atmosphere in the state remained tense. It remained even more so after APC won Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Sources confirmed to us that some members of the class which brought Governor Abubakar to power in 2015 have fallen out with him. But we also reported that the intervention of President Buhari, especially his reconciliatory agenda among the stakeholders helped to stabilize APC in the state. The fortification of the party through the defections of ex-Governor Isa Yuguda; a former National Chairman of PDP, Adamu Mu'azu, the immediate past Deputy National Chairman (North) of PDP, Senator Garba Babayo Gamawa and a Board of Trustees member, Alhaji Kaulaha Aliyu, it was believed, would create barriers for PDP. This is the first time Yuguda and Mu'azu will find a common political ground and pursue the same goal.
Being a traditional stronghold of Buhari, we had predicted that the governor may benefit from his political goodwill.
But by the time INEC declared the elections inconclusive, PDP was leading.
Mohammed Kyari, the Returning Officer of Governorship Election in Bauchi, who declared the election inconclusive, explained at INEC office where the results from the 20 local governments of the state were being collated that the margin of 4,059 votes between the two leading parties was less than 45,312, which was the number of cancelled votes after results from 19 local government were collated.
As a result, he stated that according to Section 26 part 53 of the Electoral Act, supplementary elections would be held within 21 days in areas where elections were not held before a winner would be announced.
As at that time, PDP was in lead after scoring 469,512 votes. The PDP was closely followed by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with 465,453 votes. The People's Redemption Party (PRP) came third with 45,735 votes followed by the New Nigerian People's Party (NNPP) with 31,057 votes.
Kyari also rejected the result from Tafawa Balewa Local Government following reports of violence and disruption of collation of result at the local government collation centre. This local government area is a stronghold of the opposition PDP and is one of the three local governments that make up the constituency of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
When she was called to announce the result collated at the local government, the local government collation officer, Dominion Anosike, explained that thugs attacked her and other officials of the INEC during collation and made away with result sheets and other documents.
She, however, explained that after the police and other security agencies in the local government restored peace, she continued with the collation of the results with her laptop and added that she was made to announce the result at the local government collation centre "under duress". When asked if the result she was about to announce was genuine, she said it was.
It would be recalled that during the 23 February National Assembly Elections in the local government, Dogara won the APC's candidate with about 5,000 votes. According to the result announced by Mrs. Anosike at the local government collation centre, the PDP had the largest votes with 40,010, followed by the APC with 29,862 votes.
The agent of the PDP, Tanko Dutse, said the cancellation of the result from Tafawa Balewa was illegal as the returning officer did not have the power to cancel result already collated.
As the two parties prepare for the supplementary elections the tension is getting hotter even as the leaders of the parties exchange verbal assaults and make claims that further heat up the polity.
Verdict: APC strong but gaining strength
With the victory of PDP in Taraba State, the party seems to have consolidated its hold of the politics of the Northeast state. Before the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections, we reported that some heavyweights returned to the governorship trenches against the incumbent State governor, Darius Ishaku of PDP. They include a former Acting governor of the state, Sani Danladi (APC), a former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Alhassan of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Babangida Umar of the SDP, Adamu Danbako of APGA and Danjuma Umaru – National Rescue Movement (NRM), among others.
We also predicted that it will be a three-horse race between Governor Ishaku, Danladi, and Alhassan with religious, ethnic and insecurity as top considerations. As at that time, the results of the presidential poll had also confirmed PDP as still the first choice with the opposition garnering 374, 743 as against APC's 324, 906.
With the former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, considered a big influence because he has largely determined (or handpicked) the governor of the state since 1999, it seems nothing has changed.
We were right as the Governorship Election result shows. Governor Darius Ishaku polled 520,432 votes to win the election. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress Alhaji Sani Danladi scored 362,735 votes to place second.
Verdict: PDP still strong and APC gathering more strength
Despite the insurgency, Borno has about 41 governorship candidates, most of whom are paperweight politicians. The key actors in the battle for Government House in Maiduguri are a former Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Prof. Babagana Zulum (the APC governorship candidate) and a former state chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Alhaji Mohammed Alkali Imam.
The PDP appears virtually dead in the state and it lost its soul when a revered ex-Governor of old Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Goni (1979-1983) defected to APC. Also, PDP's abysmal performance at the Presidential and National Assembly elections has underlined its weakness.
Other factors that have secured the state firmly for APC are the performance of the outgoing governor Kashim Shettima; the decision of APC stakeholders to sink their differences over gubernatorial primaries; the defection of a former national chairman of PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to APC and the appreciation of the people of the state of Buhari administration's commitment to the war against the Boko Haram insurgency .
With the paltry 71, 7888 votes earned by PDP at the presidential election, only a miracle can make it win the governorship poll. The existence of two factions in the party, led by Alhaji Usman Baderi and Alhaji Zanna Gadama respectively, has cleared the coast for an easy APC victory.
Verdict: APC
Yobe not only has cultural affinity with Borno State, the pattern of politics in the two states is often similar. The political leaders share the same views and their voting trend has been alike in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Republics. The March 9 poll is thus likely to be a mere coronation of the APC candidate, Mai Mala Buni, who is the outgoing National Secretary of the party.
In spite of a change of PDP candidate, the emergence of Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum as the new standard bearer of the opposition has not improved the fortunes of the party. The most vocal PDP member in the state, Buba Galadima, could not even deliver his polling unit during the presidential and National Assembly elections. APC received 750 votes to PDP's two votes there. It is certainly a one-horse race in Yobe State.
Verdict: APC
The clean sweep of the presidential and National Assembly elections by the APC showed that ex-Governor Danjuma Goje has bounced back as the godfather of politics in the state.
The defeat of incumbent Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo in the senatorial election will weigh heavily on the fortunes of the PDP. Saidu Ahmed Alkali of the ruling APC polled 152,551 votes against Dankwambo's 88,016 votes to win the Gombe North District seat.
But the governorship poll will determine whether or not Dankwambo has finally lost relevance in the state. The governor had seized power in 2011 and virtually overshadowed Goje. The two leaders have a date with history on March 9.
While Goje is sticking to Inuwa Yahaya (an Hausa from Gombe Central) as APC governorship candidate, PDP and Dankwambo have opted for ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator Bayero Nafada, who is a Fulani from Gombe North.
In 2015, Goje fielded the same Yahaya (his honest ex-Commissioner for Finance) as the governorship candidate of APC but he lost the battle because of intra-party crisis in which Nafada was the arrowhead of the revolt.
For the governorship race, ethnic colouration and the need for power shift might determine which of the APC or PDP will win the race to the Government House. In the past 16 years, Goje (from Gombe Central District) and Dankwambo (from Gombe North Senatorial District) have ruled the state and there is agitation to allow power to shift to another zone.
The PDP has a trust hurdle to cross following the breaking of a pledge by Dankwambo to concede the governorship ticket to Gombe South. The PDP on October 3, 2018 lost Sardauna Gombe, Alhaji Jamilu Isiyaku Gwamna who defected from PDP to APC. Gwamna's parting of ways with PDP has tightened the noose on PDP.
Verdict: APC
Kano is one of the states where the Independent National Electoral Commission declared inconclusive.
At the time INEC declared the election inconclusive, PDP's Alhaji Abba Kabiru Yusuf had polled 1,014,474 votes while APC's Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had 987,819 votes.
Before the elections, we had predicted that kano is a hot state to watch. With the allegation of millions of dollars bribery against Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the APC, the contest, we reported that the election ought to be over integrity between him and his PDP rival Alhaji Abba Kabiru Yusuf.
But the hostility of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso against President Buhari and his defection from APC to PDP have changed the political narrative in the state.
This is the second time Kano State will go through such experience.
During the 1983 general elections, the PRP picked the late Aliyu Sabo Bakin Zuwo, who had no formal education as its governorship candidate against the late Governor Abubakar Rimi of the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) who ran an "all graduate" State Executive Council. But Zuwo, rated as a semi-literate despite sponsoring more bills in the Senate in the Second Republic, defeated Rimi because of his undiluted loyalty to the leader of PRP, the late Mallam Aminu Kano.
Prior to the presidential and national Assembly Elections, the PDP was actually bubbling with much hope that it would win Kano State or give APC a good fight. The defeat of the party at the Presidential and National Assembly elections has dimmed the chances of the opposition on March 9.
The demoralizing outcome of the first stage of the elections has left the party to scavenge to pick up the pieces. If PDP has any problem in the state, it has to do with the way it conducted its governorship primaries that led to the anointing of Yusuf by Kwankwaso. The imposition weakened and depleted the party.
The mass movement of ex-Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and his supporters from PDP to APC was the last straw that broke the camel's back. Many others have deserted PDP. As the state awaits the March 23 Supplementary election, the tension is high.
Verdict: APC strong
With the Independent National Electoral Commission's declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu, winner of the 2019 governorship election in Zamfara, our prediction that the state will remain an APC state has come to pass.
The State Collation Officer, Prof Kabiru Bala of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria said the APC candidate polled 534,541 to defeat Dr. Bello Muhammad Mutawalle of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) who got 189,452.
It is instructive that APC also clears House of Assembly seats.
Verdict: APC in firm control.
With PDP's victory in Katsina State, nothing has changed in the politics of the state. Announcing the victory of the candidate of APC, the Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, INEC said he polled 943, 0815 against the 476,768 by his PDP contender.
We have reported before the elections that for the return of Governor Aminu Bello Masari, Katsina State can be taken for granted by the APC because he will benefit from the tremendous goodwill of President Buhari.
We also said PDP is bound to be affected by the bandwagon effect of February 23, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections in which it lost with a difference of 924, 077 votes. The APC political hurricane is ravaging Katsina.
Verdict: APC is strong
Sokoto State is one of the states whose Governorship Elections were declared inconclusive.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the decision was because 75, 403 votes were cancelled, which were higher than 3, 413 margin difference.
The State's Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Fatima Muktar, made the declaration in Sokoto, stating that 51 candidates contested the election.
Muktar, who is the Vice Chancellor, Federal University Dutse (FUD), Jigawa, declared that it was based on the consideration of cancelled votes that emanated from 136 polling units in the state.
She said the total valid votes were 987, 952 and the total rejected votes were 30, 082 while the total votes cast were 1, 018, 024 at the concluded election.
According to the results announced before the declaration, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the election in 12 out of the 23 LGAs results announced with 3,413 votes margins.
Until the supplementary elections results are made known, there is tension in the state. But APC's Tambuwal seems set to win.
Verdict: APC strong
Kebbi is another Northwest state where APC retained power easily.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while declaring Gov. Atiku Bagudu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the governorship election in Kebbi, said Bagudu of APC scored 673,717 votes, while Sen. Isah Galaudu of PDP polled 106,633 votes.
Before the election, we had reported that the sterling performance of Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State in the last three and a half years and his ability to keep APC united, have made Kebbi a no-go area for PDP.
Verdict: APC in charge
With PDP's victory in the Governorship race in Kaduna, the political texture of the state remains the same.
Announcing the results, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Governor El-Rufai defeated his closest rival with a margin of 231, 259 votes.
El-Rufai was declared winner by Prof. Muhammed Bello, the state collation officer, who said the incumbent governor polled a total votes of 1, 045, 427.
His closest rival, Isa Ashiru of the Peoples Democratic Party got a total votes of 814, 168.
Before the state elections, we have reported that despite the fact that the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Kaduna State was in favour of the APC in Kaduna State, it might be an uphill task for Governor Nasir el-Rufai who is seeking a second term ticket. This was because he has a serious match in the candidate of the PDP, Mallam Isa Ashiru Kudan. But with the result, APC is still in firm control.
Verdict: APC strong and in control
With APC's victory in Jigawa State, the politics of the state remains unchanged.
Announcing the governor of Jigawa State, Mohammadu Badaru Abubakar and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner INEC's returning officer of the state governorship election, Prof Azubike Sunny Nwankwo, said Abubakar scored 810, 933 as against Aminu Ibrahim Ringim of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 288, 356 votes and Bashir Adamu Jumbo of Social Democratic Party (SDP), who scored, 32,894 votes.
The governor won in all the 27 local government areas of the state.
We had earlier reported that what was at stake in Jigawa State is a struggle for the soul of the state by ex- Governor Sule Lamido and Governor Badaru whose rice production revolution has empowered many citizens of the state. His problems arose from his alienation of the political elite and some royal fathers who are not enjoying as much largesse as they used to do in the past.
For Lamido, the loss of PDP to APC in 2015 was a disaster and he is determined to regain the control of the state. His Achilles Heel, however, is the imposition of Ringim as the party's governorship candidate – a development which angered some PDP stalwarts. With the result, APC is in control.
Verdict: APC in charge
The result of the Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections confirmed our earlier predictions that Enugu remains a PDP stronghold.
We reported that in Enugu State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, is best positioned to win in this year's governorship election. This he has done in a landslide. The party also won the Presidential and all the National Assembly elections in the state.
Independent National Electoral Commission State Collation Officer, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, who is the Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, announced that the party won in the 17 local government areas of the state.
Out of the 421,014 valid votes in the state, PDP scored 355,553 votes against 54,423 votes polled by the All Progressives Congress in the state. 30,049 votes were declared invalid.
Since the return of democracy in 1999, Enugu has remained a PDP state. In 2015, for example, PDP garnered 553,003 out of the total 573,173 viable votes cast in that year's presidential election, leaving the other 13 political parties that contested that election to share the remaining 20,170 votes.
Although APC in the state now boasts of having top political leaders like former Governor Sullivan Chime, former Senate President Ken Nnamani and an influential governorship candidate, in the person of Senator Ayogu Eze, it failed to change the political reality.
Verdict: Enugu is a PDP stronghold
As we predicted before the Governorship Elections, Abia State has remained a PDP stronghold since 1999. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of PDP in the presidential election won the state, scoring 219,698 as against APC's 85,058, it is predicted that in the governorship election, this feeling of poor performance will ultimately affect the way the people will vote in the forthcoming Governorship and State House of Assembly Election.
As we hinted in our earlier reports, most stakeholders in the state are furious to note that Abia, though an oil-producing state, is today one of the least developed in the country, physical infrastructure wise, a development that has resulted in aggressive agitation for change of leadership.
This revolt has caused PDP Abia North Senatorial District, where it lost the Senatorial seat and other legislative seats to APC.
So, unlike what obtained before, where PDP had everything, APC has truly made an in-road into Abia State politics though it failed to take over the Government House in Umuahia. With Senator-elect, Orji Uzor Kalu leading the APC opposition team in Abia, the politics of the states is poised to change fundamentally. This is even so because the two other senators, Theodore Orji and Enyinnaya Abaribe worked under Orji Uzor kalu when he was the state's governor. Abaribe was his deputy, who later fell out with him, while Theodore Orji was his Chief of Staff, who he later made governor before they fell out, it remains to be seen how the three senators will relate with the PDP governor and their relationship will impact of the state's polity.
Verdict: PDP still strong, APC now a force to reckon with
The victory of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Ihedioha, and the defeat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will ushered in new set of leaders in the politics of this Southeast state that has been under APC governance in the last six to seven years.
When Governor Rochas Okorocha of APC was suspended from the ruling party we reported, citimg the results of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in Imo State, that the power game between Okorocha and his estranged former political associates in APC in Imo is poised to shape how the people will vote in the state.
As the only Southeast state currently under the leadership of an All Progressives Congress-led government, one would have expected the ruling party, to win the governorship election with ease. But it became clear that following the intricate power struggle amongst its leaders, APC was poised lose this governorship race, and it did.
Although Okorocha and his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, the candidate of Action Alliance, are still arguing that Ihedioha is not the winner, there is no doubt that Imo has reverted back to PDP.
Declaring Ihedioha the winner of the contest, The Independent National Electoral Commission announced that Ihedioha polled 273,404 votes to defeat his closest rival, Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance (AA), who polled 190,364 votes, while Senator Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress, APC, came third with 96,458 votes.
Verdict: APC deflected, PDP has rebounced
The results of the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections confirmed our earlier predictions that Ebonyi State has remained a PDP state since 1999 and that there is no definitive factor that suggests there would be a change in this year's governorship election.
We had explained that during the Presidential and NASS Elections, the party won easily in the state as PDP garnered 258,573 votes while APC's candidate got only 90,726 votes.
Before the presidential election, there were speculations that Governor Dave Umahi, who has some personal family relationship with APC's President Muhammadu Buhari, may work against his party's candidate, Atiku, in favour of Buhari. That did not happen, a confirmation that PDP in Ebonyi State remains united and strong.
It would be recalled that out of the 363,888 valid votes cast in the state in 2015, PDP, in collaboration with APGA, harvested a whopping 323,653 votes, leaving only 19,518 for APC, which came second.
Following the clarification mid last year that the argument over positions between old members and new members did not succeed in dividing the party in the state, it seems Governor Dave Umahi, will be contesting on a united platform with added advantage of incumbency factor.
Besides, investigation confirms that most of the people in Ebonyi are happy with the performance of Umahi, who one of them, Nkama Oka, described as "a true engineer, opening up the hinterlands."
Prof Frank Chukwuemeka, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) State Collation Officer for Ebonyi governorship, while announcing Umahi as winner in Abakaliki said that Umahi polled a total of 393,043 votes to defeat his distant rival, Sen Sonni Ogbuoji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled 81,703 votes to emerge the winner.
The collation officer said that the results collated from the 13 local government areas of the state showed that the PDP candidate won in all the 171 registration areas and 13 local government areas respectively.
Given this result, it is clear that Ebonyi remains a PDP state and nothing has changed.
Verdict: PDP is still in charge here
The final outcome of Rivers State's Governorship Election is still under review.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while giving insight into why the electoral process in the state was declared inconclusive after suspending the collation of results said it was due to electoral malpractice in the state.
The electoral umpire explained that the electoral process in the state was called off due to violence and threat to life.
The explanation was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, Rotimi Oyekanmi.
The statement reads partly: "In Rivers, the Commission was forced to suspend the election due to violence and threats to life, as a result of which it constituted a Fact Finding Committee to assess the situation and report back within 48 hours.
"In a couple of other states where a declaration was not immediately made, the elections did not meet the threshold required for such a declaration.
"The Commission will take the appropriate action prescribed by the law and make a declaration."
Before the election, we had reported that in Rivers State it would be a walk in the park for the PDP as it will be contesting in a one sided election that will not be featuring its main rival, the APC. The opposition party has been kept out of the race by a Supreme Court judgement that confirmed INEC's position that it failed to conduct acceptable primary election within the stipulated time.
To further smoothen the journey to re-election for Governor Nyesom Wike and his party, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt and presided over by Justice E.A. Obile, had sacked the governorship candidate for Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs. Briggs, observers say, has been seen as the only candidate remaining in the race that can put up some challenge, albeit minute, to the PDP.
He was sacked on the grounds that he was not the authentic candidate for the party. Dumo Lulu-Briggs was therefore replaced with Mr. Precious Baridoo, who was said to have won the governorship ticket of the party at the party's primary elections.
Although the announcement of the results in Rivers State was halted to allow for the forthcoming re-run elections, the results so far made is instructive.
— The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the results of one federal constituency and nine state assembly seats in the re-run legislative elections in Rivers.
The result signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Aniedi Ikoiwak, showed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the only House of Representatives seat of Abua/Odual/Ahoada East constituency
Betty Apiafi of the PDP polled 19,188 votes to beat Ewor Robinson of APC who scored 6468 to win the House of Representatives poll.
The result also showed that the party won eight of the nine state assembly seats while the All Progressives Congress (APC) won one seat.
Rivers State, which started out in 1999 as a PDP state became a major APC state under the then governor Rotimi Amaechi who governed it for eight years. However, Amaechi's erstwhile political godson, Nyesom Wike's emergence as the state governor, on the ticket of PDP, not only returned the state to PDP but marked the beginning of an intriguing political rivalry that has held the breathe of Nigerians.
Largely because Amaechi, the current Minister of Transportation is also the Director-General of Muhammadu Buhari's Presidential re-election campaign, the expectation, until the court nailed APC in the state, was high that he ought to ensure APC's victory during the general election. Both because of the high offices he currently occupies and the fact that it has become a personal battle between him and his former ally, Wike.
Ironically, the same pressure was on Wike to deliver Rivers to PDP. It would be recalled that Wike enjoyed unalloyed support of the former first family, the Jonathans, when he contested for the office of the governor of the state against the endorsement of Amaechi. Observers say this elections would have been an opportunity for Wike and Amaechi to test their political strength again, but the Supreme Court foiled that or so it seemed until reports said APC and Amaechi supporters may have voted for a particular candidate and political party. Until the final results are announced, it may not be easy to predict the likely outcome of that last minutes development. As it stands, PDP is still a PDP state.
Verdict: PDP strong
Before the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections, we predicted that Delta remains a PDP stronghold. With the victory of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of PDP, nothing has changed in the South-south state.
True to many predictions, Delta State also voted for the PDP and its candidates during the Presidential and National Assembly elections. But for Senator Omo-Agege and a handful of House of Representatives candidates who won for the APC, it would have been an all PDP affair.
It would be recalled that out of the 1,267,773 valid votes cast in the state during the 2015 presidential election, PDP got 1,211,405 votes, while APC got 48,910 votes. Also the party won in 23 local government areas out of 25 in the state in the presidential race.
Overall, the PDP polled 594,068 votes across the 25 local government, while All Progressives Congress scored 221,292 votes. PDP won the election in Aniocha South, Aniocha North, Oshimili South, Oshimili North, Ika South, Ika North-East, Burutu, Sapele, Ughelli South, Okpe, Warri South, Warri South West, Warri North and Udu. The other areas where the PDP also won are Ethiope West, Bomadi, Uvwie, Isoko North, Isoko South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Burutu and Patani. APC won in Ethiope East and Ughelli North. This goes to show the dominance of PDP.
This feat was repeated during the Governorship elections. The State Returning Officer of INEC, Prof. Seth Accra-Jaja, Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa, while declaring PDP's Okowa winner of the contest in Asaba, said, "Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of the PDP polled a total number of 925,274 votes to defeat his first runner up, Chief Great Ogboru of the All Progressive Congress who polled a total of 215,938 votes."
Okowa won in 23 out of the 25 local government areas of the state.
Verdict: Delta remains PDP stronghold
Even before the elections, we said PDP is poised to retain the Government House in Calabar. This is because in spite of some improvement in the visibility of the opposition APC after the last 2015, it was obvious PDP remains good enough to repeat its 2015 landslide victory in the state. One of the reasons for that prediction was the internal division in APC, which left it with two factions that at a time produced two governorship aspirants, namely Usani Usani Uguru (a serving Minister) and John Enoh.
Until the Election Day, insiders said the two factions failed to reach a peaceful accord in spite of several efforts by party leaders like ex-Governor Clement Ebri and Chief Edem Duke, as well as the national leadership of the party to reconcile them.
This was unlike the case of the ruling PDP, where Governor Ben Ayade and his predecessor, Liyel Imoke, clearly retained firm grips on the politics of the state. The harmonious relationship between the duo, in spite of insinuations that they fell apart at a time, helped the ruling PDP to wax strong.
Its performance at the Governorship and State Assembly Elections confirmed the permutation. INEC announced that its candidate, Governor Ben Ayade won the governorship election with a great margin.
He polled a total of 381,484 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Senator John Owan-Enoh, who polled 131,161 votes, while the Social Democratic Party candidate, Eyo Ekpo polled 4,818 votes.
It would be recalled that apart from winning the Presidential Election in the state, PDP also got all the three senatorial seats, thus confirming its dominance there. According to INEC report, the PDP Senators-elect for Cross River State are Oko Rose Okoji (North); Onor Sandy Ojang (Central) and Bassey Gershom Henry (South) all of PDP.
Verdict: PDP strong
With the victory of PDP in Akwa-Ibom State, observers who had predicted strong presence of APC in the South-south state, following the defection of former Governor Goodswill Akpabia to APC, agree today that Governor Emmanuel Udom-led PDP remains in obvious control of the politics of the state.
In fact, keen observers noted this fact even before the Governorship and State Assembly Elections. They cited the outcome of the hot contest between President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar during the Presidential Elections as a proof that the South-south state remains a PDP stronghold. To analysts who argued that Akpabio's factor will single handedly turn the table against PDP, the most shocking result of the first elections was Akpabio loss in his re-election bid during the Senatorial Elections.
At that stage, even the most enthusiastic followers of the former Minority Leader of the Senate admitted that the APC would be going into the governorship election as the underdog while the PDP, having confirmed its strong hold on the politics of the state, will work to further consolidate its hold. This it did during the Governorship and State Assembly Elections, just as we predicted in our last prediction before the elections.
According to the results declared by INEC, Emmanuel won the election in 30 out of the 31 local government areas of the state. He polled a total of 519, 712 votes to emerge, winner, defeating his closest challenger, Obong Nsima Ekere of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored a total of 171, 978 votes.
INEC results showed that besides Emmanuel's retention of power at the State House, his party occupies all the three senatorial seats.
Akpan Bassey Albert won the North- East seat, while Christopher Stephen Ekpenyong is to occupy the North West. In addition to these, the seat for the Akwa-Ibom South at the Red Chamber is to be occupied by Eyakenyi Akon Etim all of PDP.With this overwhelming performance repeated at the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly, it seems nothing much has changed in the politics of the state, except that it remains to be seen how far the APC chieftains in the state would lead what could be called the opposition to checkmate Emmanuel-led PDP government in the state.
Sources confirmed to The Nation that local issues, especially the passion of the oil-rich areas to ensure that Emmanuel who comes from an oil-rich area, serves out his eight years, further strengthened PDP. Even outside Emmanuel's area, supporters of what a source described as 'equity,' rallied round to ensure that the governor was not denied a second term.
Except new alignments are made, insiders said Emmanuel, a former associate of Akpabio, is now more emboldened to run a government of his own. How this reality will pan out in the state's polity remains to be seen.
Verdict: PDP stronger; APC deflated
The 2019 general elections in Ogun state showed early flashes of being an unusual one, and the results actually turned out as such. Of course, the APC came out the winner all on fronts, but not without heavy bruises and casualties. Though it succeeded in retaining its hold on the politics of the state, the ruling APC will never be the same as ti was before the commencement of the elections.
Expectedly, the presidential candidate of the APC, Muhammadu Buhari, won the presidential election in Ogun State with 281,762 votes. His closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, polled 194,655 votes. Buhari won in 14 of the 20 local government areas of the state while Atiku won in the remaining six council areas of the state.
The party also won all but three of the national assembly seats across the state while also pocketing more than two-third of the House of Assembly seats in a surprise landslide victory that ran contrary to the predictions of many pundits, who, considering the uncertainties created by the decision of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to support the candidate of another party aside Dapo Abiodun of the APC. Amosun adopted Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
In spite of the support enjoyed by Atiku and the PDP from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the APC still won the general elections in Obasanjo's native Egbaland convincingly. And in the Yewa/Awori area of the state, the APC was able to stand its own, sharing the votes comfortably with APM and ADC, whose guber candidates hail from the zone, contrary to predictions.
The presence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Dapo Abiodun, two Remo sons from Ikenne-Remo and Iperu Remo respectively, in the race as APC's vice presidential and governorship candidates, altered the age-long voting pattern of the people of this zone that has voted PDP massively since 2003. Abiodun, ably assisted by other APC chieftains like Post-Master General Bisi Adegbuyi from Ode-Remo, former Speaker Muyiwa Oladipupo in Sagamu, among others, cleared the votes in Remoland.
Also, the APC surprisingly crawled into the PDP strongholds in Ijebu zone as its candidates won the seats and votes massively in the council areas of the zone. Shockingly, Buruji Kashamu of the PDP couldn't deliver Ijebu zone to his party. Across the state, the APC proved bookmakers, who had said the party will struggle without Amosun, wrong by posting impressive wins.
Abiodun of the ruling APC got 241,670 votes as against Amosun-backed Akinlade of the APM who got 222,153 votes, to emerge as the governor-elect of the state in a dramatic manner. Candidate of the ADC, Gboyega Isiaka, emerged third with 110,422 votes, while Senator Buruji Kashamu of the Peoples Democratic Party was fourth with 70,290 votes.
Verdict: APC troubled but strong
In spite of the early the threat to "take over Lagos" by the opposition PDP, most observers of the politics of the state still predicted that APC will win convincingly in Lagos State at the general elections. Pundits were even of the opinion that the opposition PDP will perform poorer than it did in 2015 when it gave the ruling APC a good fight in all the elections.
However, the PDP gave the ruling party a huge scare with its performance of its candidate in the presidential election. President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC won the presidential election in Lagos with a margin of 132,810 votes. Buhari won in 15 of the 20 local government areas in the state with an overall vote of 580,825. Atiku Abubakar of the PDP won the remaining five local government areas and came second by polling 448,015.
After the presidential poll, pundits said the PDP greatly reduced the margin when compared to 2015 when it similarly trailed the ruling party in the presidential contest. Also, the obvious reduction in the number of votes recorded by APC in Lagos, from 792, 460 in 2015 to a 580, 825 last February became a source of worry to leaders and supporters of the party in the state.
Although the APC in Lagos won all the three senate seats and garnered almost all the House of Representatives seats in the state, pundits warned the party to be wary as the governorship election approached if it intends to stop the desire of the opposition PDP to invade the state politically. The result of the presidential contest in the state, to many, was a subtle confirmation that the PDP was waxing stronger in the state.
There were widespread fears that unless the ruling party upped its game before the guber poll in the state, the opposition PDP could perform better than it did in 2015 when it gave the ruling APC a good fight in all the elections. APC scored 811,994 to defeat the PDP which had 659,788 in the governorship race back then. Challenged, APC went to work. Its candidates campaigned more vigorously and the party made effective alliances and changes.
Then the governorship election came and the APC showed the world that PDP's performance in the presidential election was a flash in the pan. The candidate of APC, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was declared the winner of the governorship election. Sanwo-Olu, scored 739,445 out of the 977,476 total valid votes in the election, to defeat 44 other candidates to emerge as the winner and governor-elect in the state. PDP's Jimi Agbaje, polled the second highest votes with 206,141 votes.
APC also won all the 40 seats in the state assembly in a show of political supremacy that exposed the weakened position of the PDP in the state in spite of earlier predictions that the opposition party was waxing stronger in the state. It also became obvious that the assumed popularity of its serial candidate, Jimi Agbaje, was no longer a statement of fact as he lost woefully in his former strongholds of Oshodi-Isolo, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Surulere and Ojo.
Analysts say the personality of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader of the APC, and the recent restructuring carried out within the party, did the tricks once again for the ruling party. Also, unlike in 2015 when some fallouts of its party primaries caused serious frictions within its ranks, the APC is today more united that it was four years ago.
One factor that worked against the PDP in Lagos State is the loss of majority of its prominent leaders to the APC. Chieftains like Chief Mrs. Remi Adiukwu, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and its then state chairman, Moshood Salvador, are now in the APC and worked for the party. Even Chief Bode George, though still in the PDP and openly supported its candidates, was on a self-imposed political holiday, leaving the party without a known leader in the state.
The PDP also lost many of the areas it garnered votes in 2015 to the APC following the defection of almost all the state and federal lawmakers that won on its platform into the APC. Thus, erstwhile strongholds of the PDP like Oshodi-Isolo, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ojo, Badagry and Amuwo-Odofin became APC territories with ex-PDP chieftains working for the party.
Also, the APC ticket benefited from the acceptance enjoyed in the state by Vice President Osibajo. The choice of Osinbajo has been a hit across the Southwest and this expectedy to translated into votes on election days for the APC. And, in spite of the criticisms trailing some of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode's policies and projects, observers say the APC government in the state have performed enough to keep the voters trusting its candidates.
VERDICT: APC stronger
APC lost Oyo state to the PDP largely owing to its failure to put its house in order as well as the alleged 'sins' of incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi against prominent individuals and institutions across the state. Observers of the politics of the state insist that the PDP as it was few weeks to the presidential election, was not formidable enough to defeat a ruling party.
Rather, the opposition party reaped where the ruling APC lost. Not even the last minute deals brokered with the likes of ex-Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala among others, by the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, could save the party from an unforeseen defeat in the hand of Seyi Makinde, the governorship candidate of the PDP.
To further humiliate Ajimobi for his alleged 'sins', his kinsmen in Ibadanland ensured that he lost his senatorial bid to his PDP challenger. Also, APC which won the presidential election in Oyo during the 2015 presidential poll, lost to PDP in the last presidential contest. In 2015, APC scored 528, 620 while PDP got 303, 376. But in 2019, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, defeated President Buhari of the APC with a difference of 1,411 votes to win.
Atiku won in 18 local government areas with 366,640 votes as against 365,229 scored by Buhari. The state used to be the stronghold of the opposition PDP until 2011 when majority of those chieftains who made the party tick in the state jumped ship or went into political oblivion, leaving the party in limbo. The likes of former governors Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo Alao-Akala left the party.
While Ladoja now leads the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the state, Alao-Akala was the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP). Both leaders also lost some of their chieftains to the ruling APC in recent times, especially Alao-Akala, who joined the APC briefly after dumping the PDP. Other erstwhile PDP top guns like former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin and former Secretary to the State Government, Ayodele Adigun, joined the APC.
Before the commencement of the 2019 general elections, some observers of the politics of the state had said the PDP in Oyo State was a ghost of its glorious past and should not put up any serious challenge to the victory of the ruling APC in the elections. On the other hand, the APC, after series of disagreements between Governor Ajimobi and Communications Minister, Adebayo Shitu, appeared to have repositioned itself to rout the opposition in all the elections.
But the PDP soon showed the world that it was capable of more surprises. While the APC was still trying to get to terms with its defeat at the presidential and national assembly elections, the opposition PDP championed a merger talk that saw a number of strong parties and political families, coming together to confront the ruling APC at the governorship election.
Ladoja-led ZLP, Femi Lanlehin's African Democratic Congress (ADC) and a host of others agreed to jettison their gubernatorial pursuits and throw their joint support behind PDP's Seyi Makinde as the alliance's consensus candidate. The success of the alliance, which many had predicted will fail, was the first sign that the APC may be in for serious trouble.
When the election was eventually held, the APC and its candidate, Adebayo Adelabu, was floored by the PDP. The PDP candidate won 28 out of the 33 local governments in the state, leaving the All Progressives Congress with only five. Makinde received 515, 621 votes to defeat his closest rival from the APC, Bayo Adelabu, who polled 357, 982 votes. The margin of defeat is 157,639 votes.
Verdict: PDP is the more popular party in the state
In spite of the state not being under the control of the party, the then presidential candidate of the APC Buhari was declared winner of the presidential election in Ondo State. He polled 299, 889 votes to beat former President Jonathan of the PDP, who got 251, 368 votes, according to results declared by INEC. The result came as a surprise to many pundits who had thought the PDP will ride on the popularity of the then Governor Olusegun Mimiko to clinch victory.
But last February, Buhari and the APC lost Ondo State. This was in spite of the fact that the state is governed by the APC under Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, and it was assumed by many that Atiku's party, the PDP has little or no presence in the state before the elections. Atiku Abubakar of the PDP scored 275,901 votes to defeat President Buhari of the APC who scored 241,769 votes.
The APC also struggled to win just one senatorial seat while the opposition PDP clinched two. Akeredolu's party also lost a good number of the House of Representatives seats it won in 2015. The result, many claimed, were the outcome of the governor's alleged disagreement with the choices of APC candidates in the national assembly elections. There were strong claims that he was backing candidates on the platform of the Action Alliance.
The disagreement between Governor Akeredolu and Senator Ajayi Boroffice, who worked against one another in the 2019 general elections, so weakened the APC in the state that many pundits averred that if there had been a gubernatorial election in the state this year, the ruling party would have conveniently been defeated by the PDP which showed more unity of purpose all through the elections.
Although the APC appeared to have buried the hatchets and worked together in the state assembly elections, a development that saw it winning more than two-third of the seats, many observers of the politics of the state are warning the leaders of the party to be wary of the PDP as the state prepares to vote for a new governor next year.
VERDICT: APC, PDP head to head
After giving the impression that it was ready to take over the political leadership of Osun State during the last governorship election in the Southwest state, the opposition PDP appears to be fading away from the political firmament of the state so soon. The party in Osun shocked many people when it almost snatched the governorship seat of the state from the ruling APC last year in a keenly contested election.
Shortly before then, the party emerged winner in a senatorial bye election in the state ahead of the ruling APC, sending signals that it was back and better. Many had predicted the return of the party to take over the state politically back then. But few months after that impressive showing, the same cannot be said of the party that governed the state between 2003 and 2011.
Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate in the two said elections, was missing in action all through the 2019 general elections. With the exit of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola from office, many had wondered if the APC will not suffer leadership vacuum as the election approached. But Governor Gboyega proved a formidable rallying point for the ruling party as he marshaled the affairs of the APC all through the elections.
From its performance at he polls, the APC appears to have repositioned itself for the challenges ahead. Governor Oyetola embarked on a number of fence-mending missions that analysts say yielded a lot of fruits. To add to this, the party in the state managed to conduct crisis-free primary elections to elect its candidates. Consequently, the APC went into the general elections crisis free.
To add to the good fortune of the ruling APC and compound the political troubles of the opposition PDP, Senator Iyiola Omisore, one of the erstwhile pillars of the opposition in the state and gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) at the last election, pitched his tent with the APC. There was no governorship election in the state this year.
Amidst predictions that the APC will not repeat the margin it achieved in the state in 2015, the party delivered the state to President Buhari in the presidential elections. In 2015 APC had 383,603 votes to the PDP's 249,929. Last February, Buhari polled 347,674 votes while PDP's Atiku got 337,377 votes, with the APC candidate leading with a margin of 10,297. APC won 18 of the 30 local governments in the state while PDP won 12.
To further confirmed its leadership of the state politically, the APC won 22 out of the 26 seats in Osun House of Assembly while the PDP won three seats. According to the results, election into Oriade State Constituency was inconclusive. The three state constituencies won by the opposition PDP were Ede North, Ede South and Obokun.
The 22 House of Assembly seats won by APC were those of Osogbo, Olorunda, Ejigbo, Ilesa East , Ife North, Ifedayo, Ayedaade , Ifelodun, Ola Oluwa, Atakumosa East and West, Ayedire and Boluwaduro/Boripe. Others were Egbedore ,Ife Central, lfe East, Ife South, Ila, Ilesa West, Irepodun/ Orolu,Irewole / Isokan,Iwo and Odo-Otin constituencies.
Verdict: APC waxing stronger
In 2015, PDP won the presidential election in Ekiti State. Its candidate, Goodluck Jonathan won all the 16 local government areas of the state, according to results of the presidential election announced by INEC. PDP also won all the National Assembly seats in the state. Jonathan polled 176,474 votes ahead of Buhari who got 120, 332 votes.
Many people have attributed the PDP's surprise victory of 2015 largely to the widespread acceptability enjoyed by the then Governor Ayodele Fayose of the PDP and the federal might provided by the then Jonathan-led federal government. The scenario of the 2019 general elections was totally different. Kayode Fayemi of the APC is governor and the federal government is also under Buhari's APC.
The APC expectedly delivered the state to Buhari. Buhari of the All Progressives Congress polled 219,231 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party got 154,032 votes. The APC also won the three senate seats for the state and all the House of Representative seats, leaving the PDP with nothing to show for its participation in the polls.
Analysts explaining why the PDP lost are quick to point out that the PDP in the state now divided into two groups led by Fayose and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abiodun Olujimi respectively. To make matters worse, the two groups are at war over who should lead the party in the state while the APC is consolidating its grip on the politics of the state.
Governor Fayemi is reached out to members and non- members of the ruling party to come aboard and be part of his new administration. He promised that he will not discriminate against those who worked against him during the last governorship election in the state. The APC became reinvigorated by the gubernatorial victory and the party received decampees from the PDP in droves ahead of the general elections.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State also won 25 out of the 26 seats in the state House of Assembly. INEC said election is yet to be concluded in Ekiti East Constituency 1 due to disruptions that engulfed in four of the polling units of the constituency while the exercise was going on. With these victories, it is easy to conclude that APC is back to winning ways in Ekiti while the PDP is deeply troubled.
VERDICT: APC in charge


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post1123537536793813099..comments2019-09-09T23:46:08.972+02:00Comments on Bingeing On Books: DISCUSSION: Signs you have a crushing TBR pileCynthiahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-48161379127980910702016-07-06T01:39:31.970+02:002016-07-06T01:39:31.970+02:00Lyn, YOU ARE SO RIGHT! I do make a list of stuff I...Lyn, YOU ARE SO RIGHT! I do make a list of stuff I plan to read over the next week or so and just the thought of getting those cleared off my TBR list is a great feeling. Cynthiahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-39681810267293059122016-07-04T01:20:12.597+02:002016-07-04T01:20:12.597+02:00I have more fun planning my TBR list than reading ...I have more fun planning my TBR list than reading sometimes because PLANNING to read makes me feel like I have actually done something about this horrible pile. Also, everyone you know makes a comment about your wall of books. You hide it from everyone, like Smaug and his gold, because they don't understand!Lyn Kayehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-22609875645013530422016-06-17T19:37:00.309+02:002016-06-17T19:37:00.309+02:00Me too Nicole! I swear, I start to have mini panic...Me too Nicole! I swear, I start to have mini panic attacks every time I think about it. So crazy. Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-63336955218367568852016-06-17T19:36:11.339+02:002016-06-17T19:36:11.339+02:00Morgan, ahhh I am trying my best to slowly work th...Morgan, ahhh I am trying my best to slowly work through all the books on my Kindle. But it's so hard!! There are just SO MANY!Cynthiahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-29920104567784797782016-06-17T19:35:23.995+02:002016-06-17T19:35:23.995+02:00Shannon, yeah I think I am slowly accepting the fa...Shannon, yeah I think I am slowly accepting the fact that I will die before I read all the books on my TBR. Maybe I should create a book bucket list . . . books that I really want to read before I die. Or is that too morbid? Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-70053863477221322682016-06-11T04:32:17.739+02:002016-06-11T04:32:17.739+02:00YES! I seriously start to feel panicky when I thin...YES! I seriously start to feel panicky when I think too hard about my TBR - or all of the books that I WANT to read that I know I'll never get to. It's a true psychological issue!

Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction AddictionNicole Hewitthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-79413501064788901912016-06-10T20:07:06.318+02:002016-06-10T20:07:06.318+02:00I relate to this so much, oh my gosh. Particularly...I relate to this so much, oh my gosh. Particularly 1,2 and 6. Constant guilt all the time, especially if I decide to reread something too! Haha. Slowly but surely trying to work through my physical TBR this summer. I have to clear off some shelf space and find out if I have any new favorites lurking that I should have read long ago! :)Morgan @ Gone with the Wordshttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-40975990935899754762016-06-09T08:30:50.657+02:002016-06-09T08:30:50.657+02:00Dude, I do ALL of these. I am fairly certain that ...Dude, I do ALL of these. I am fairly certain that I WILL die before I read them all. No exaggeration. There are just too many already, and then you KNOW there will be more! And obviously #2 is me. SO much me. Speaking of... I have to go pick a book to read! :D LOVE this!Shannon/ It Starts at Midnighthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-62548275672912739802016-06-07T07:41:12.983+02:002016-06-07T07:41:12.983+02:00Got My Book, argh me too! I am a fast reader so I ...Got My Book, argh me too! I am a fast reader so I have no doubt I do that sometimes.Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-31803964087469039422016-06-07T07:40:43.436+02:002016-06-07T07:40:43.436+02:00Cait, we should start a support group for everyone...Cait, we should start a support group for everyone suffering from crushing TBR syndrome! We can commiserate together and have meetings where we talk about all the books we added to our TBRs. But then we would be in the position of finding out more books to add to our own personal TBRs. Argh. We can't win!! I like your way of thinking: I HAVE TO BE IMMORTAL JUST TO SPITE MY TBR!! I will conquer it one day!!Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-36724764310206694122016-06-07T07:38:51.238+02:002016-06-07T07:38:51.238+02:00Wendy, hahahaha I have no doubt that will happen a...Wendy, hahahaha I have no doubt that will happen at some point. I just wish there weren't so many amazing books being released!Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-42811226695546134302016-06-07T07:38:09.810+02:002016-06-07T07:38:09.810+02:00Kate, me too!! I have done that way too many times...Kate, me too!! I have done that way too many times, especially with certain bloggers. Argh.Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-46148138369668732032016-06-07T07:37:44.516+02:002016-06-07T07:37:44.516+02:00Ouch, Joy! You definitely did worse than me last m...Ouch, Joy! You definitely did worse than me last month! Last month, I read 28 books but then bought 24 (I had several Amazon gift cards burning a hole in my pocket). So I guess I can be happy that my TBR is four books shorter. I feel your pain.Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-85537653707926047362016-06-07T07:36:36.368+02:002016-06-07T07:36:36.368+02:00Me too Laura! I don't even have any confidence...Me too Laura! I don't even have any confidence that I will get my TBR below triple digits. I try to make myself a list of books to read for the month, but I always end up reading books out of order or ones not on the list at all. I have so many books to read and my moods keep changing!Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-19149303192415436382016-06-07T07:35:02.701+02:002016-06-07T07:35:02.701+02:00Me too Grace! I kept telling myself I would refrai...Me too Grace! I kept telling myself I would refrain from buying books, but then I would notice an ebook sale on Amazon! If I have a book on my wishlist that goes from $9.99 to $1.99, HOW CAN I SAY NO TO THAT???Cynthiahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-74011148994532292312016-06-07T06:17:45.427+02:002016-06-07T06:17:45.427+02:00I sometimes spend more time choosing what to read ...I sometimes spend more time choosing what to read than I do reading.Got My Bookhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-65250831011551068502016-06-06T22:59:07.236+02:002016-06-06T22:59:07.236+02:00YES THIS LIST IS 100% SPOT ON. I suffer from them ...YES THIS LIST IS 100% SPOT ON. I suffer from them all. I THINK I CAN SAFELY DIAGNOSE MYSELF WITH CRUSHING TBR SYNDROME. *dies* I spend literally aaaages deciding my next read. Trying to figure out which library book is due back and which ARC should've been read 9 years ago and which of the books I've bought should be read before I accidentally see spoilers. *flaps about trying to do it all*
I'M GOING TO BE IMMORTAL THOUGH. JUST TO SPITE MY TBR SO I CAN CONQUER IT.Cait @ Paper Furyhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-87178953258807122742016-06-06T19:59:29.232+02:002016-06-06T19:59:29.232+02:00I live in fear that my TBR shelf on Goodreads will...I live in fear that my TBR shelf on Goodreads will outgrow my Read shelf. I occasionally go in and add a few more books I read before GR just to stay ahead of the game. Wendyhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-42330366654751241712016-06-06T18:56:47.841+02:002016-06-06T18:56:47.841+02:00#4 and #5 - yes! I do often skip reviews, so I don...#4 and #5 - yes! I do often skip reviews, so I don't have to add another book to my list. :(Kate Ungerhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-21346289677490590552016-06-06T14:25:31.563+02:002016-06-06T14:25:31.563+02:00Last month, I added 21 books to my pile while only...Last month, I added 21 books to my pile while only reading 4 books. How's that for crushing? Joyous Readshttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-56016547832497209552016-06-06T13:48:17.445+02:002016-06-06T13:48:17.445+02:00I can pretty much relate to all of these! Every ti...I can pretty much relate to all of these! Every time it feels like the list is going down I end up going on other blogs and finding more stuff to add, so I'm pretty sure I'll never actually get through my TBR list. I'm currently between books now, and am really struggling with what to pick next, as there are just so many I want to read right now.
Great post!Laura Chttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-49151113597036581052016-06-06T13:33:09.440+02:002016-06-06T13:33:09.440+02:00Yes to all of these!! I have a problem. I cannot t...Yes to all of these!! I have a problem. I cannot turn down an ebook on sale that is on my wishlist. So I now have an alarmingly high number of ebooks on my kindle. I also don't want to even get into ARCs which I need to stop requesting! Great post!Grace @ RebelMommyBookBloghttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-70549938480824142016-06-06T11:19:38.726+02:002016-06-06T11:19:38.726+02:00Nick, aren't book bloggers the WORST (but also...Nick, aren't book bloggers the WORST (but also the best)?!? I told myself I wasn't going to buy any new books for a couple of months so I could get my TBR under control. Ha, I should have known. I have no willpower!Cynthiahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719681682618841725.post-89254078752353773482016-06-06T10:53:21.866+02:002016-06-06T10:53:21.866+02:00YES to all of these! I have so many books on my TB...YES to all of these! I have so many books on my TBR and it only seems to increase by the day. I need to get into the habit of not buying books until I've narrowed down my TBR to a smaller number, but I have no self-control. Darn book bloggers making me want to read everything!Nickhttps://email@example.com