The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr Tokunbo Abiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as winner of Saturday’s Lagos East Senatorial by-election.

The INEC Returning Officer for the by-election, Prof. Ademola Oremosu of the University of Lagos, declared the result at Somolu collation centre at 7:20a.m. on Sunday.

Oremosu said that Abiru polled a total of 89, 204 votes to defeat his closest rival from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, who scored 11,257 votes.

Declaring the winner, Oremosu said: ” I, Prof. Oremosu Ademola, certify that I am the Returning Officer for the 2020 Lagos East Senatorial by-election held on the 5th day of December Year 2020. The election was contested.

“That Abiru Mukhail Adetokunbo of All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”

According to him, Muyiwa Adebanjo of Action Alliance (AA) got a total of 96 votes, Mercy Adeoye of African Action Congress (AAC) scored 248 votes, while John Kome of African Democratic Congress (ADC) polled 376 votes.

He said that Adebowale Ogunlaru of Action Democratic Party (ADP) polled 535 votes, Olusola Babatope of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) scored 202 votes, Florence Trautman of Labour Party (LP) got 58 votes, while Adijat Lawal of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) polled 52 votes.

Oremosu said Akin Olukunle of National Rescue Movement (NRM) got 65 votes, Saheed Aluko of Social Democratic Party (SDP) scored 35 votes, while Taiwo Temitope of Young Progressive Party (YPP) scored 208 votes.

According to him, out of the total registered voters of 1,261,673 in the district, the total accredited voters was 104, 894, the total vote cast was 104, 405, the total valid votes was 102, 336, while the rejected votes were 2,069.

Commenting, Mr Dele Oshinowo, the APC Party Agent for the Senatorial election, expressed gratitude to residents of the district for voting Abiru, saying the candidate would not let them down.

Oshinowo, who is Chairman, Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area, Lagos State, commended INEC and security agencies for conducting a peaceful and credible by-elections.

The NRM agent, Mrs Temilola Akinade, who described the election as free and fair, said that the party would buckle up and forge ahead to gain acceptability.

Mr Olusegun Jaiyeola, the party agent for YPP said: “To be candid and fair, the election is fair from what I could see. Other political parties need to come up, re-strategise because the gap was too much.

“However, the turnout was too low than expected, especially after the EndSARS protest. People need to take election more seriously. Nigeria needs ballot revolution.”

Deacon Segun Aroyewun, the PDP party agent, said that the desperation for political power was increasing day by day, hence the need to checkmate it.

12 candidates of various political parties contested in the election necessitated by the demise of former occupant, Sen. Bayo Osinowo.

The APC defeated PDP in all the five local government areas in Lagos East senatorial. district

In Somolu, APC polled a total of 17, 728 votes to defeat PDP which polled 2067 vote while in Epe, APC scored 22, 213 votes to defeat PDP with polled 1826 votes.

In Ibeju-Lekki, APC polled a total of 16, 336 to defeat PDP candidate which scored 937 votes, while in Ikorodu, the APC polled 19, 204 votes to defeat PDP which scored 3766 votes.

In Kosofe, the APC polled a total of 13, 723 to defeat PDP which scored 2661 while 10 other political parties that participated in the elections got less than 200 votes in each of the LGAs. (NAN)