Hurricane Obi: Okada Rider dethrones incumbent lawmaker in Kaduna, wins LP Reps seat
Elections
Tony Okafor, Awka
The candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Donatus Mathew, has been declared winner of the Kaura federal constituency of Kaduna State.
Declaring the result yesterday, the returning officer, Professor Elijah Ella, said Mathew polled a total of 10,508 to defeat the incumbent member and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Gideon Lucas Gwani, who came second, 10, 297 votes.
According to reports, Mathew was once a councillor but hard times forced him to become a commercial motorcycle rider. He is also said to be an honest and hardworking Nigerian.
He said the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) trailed with 9,919 votes, while that of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) secured 5,354 votes to come third and fourth respectively.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the declaration of the winner, the member-elect, Mr Donatus Mathew, thanked the electorates for the confidence reposed in him to represent them at the Green Chamber.
He however solicited for support and cooperation from the people while pledging to carry everyone along to achieve the desired success.
Reacting to the results, the incumbent member who is also the minority whip in the House of Representatives, Mr Gideon Lucas Gwani congratulated the member elect and wished him well.
He urged his supporters to remain calm and accept the will of the electorate, even as he noted that God gives and takes power.
Most people attributed the LP feat in the election to Peter Obi’s OBIdient movement in the country that is now known in grammar of politics in Nigeria as HURRICANE OBI.
A former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and top member of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, who this newspaper would not want to mention his name, summarize the Obi hurricane thus: “We must continue to fight. But be it noted that Peter Obi is the hero of this election. He moved a nondescript Labour party to national limelight and reckoning in less than 8months. I think our expectations are somewhat unrealistic. These primordial structures and ensconced interests are not removed overnight. We must not miniaturize his struggles and accomplishments to a mere provincial fitness. There’s hope.”
Additional reports from Leadership
