President Jonathan, Former Military Leader Buhari, Lead in Early Poll

Federal Republic of Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan with his wife Patience during the national elections on April 16, 2011. Africa's most populous country went to the polls in great numbers., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Jonathan, Buhari In Early Lead .

Nigerian Guardian
Sunday, 17 April 2011 00:00 Editor News

IT may be early in the day to determine the outcome of yesterday’s Presidential Election. But as at press time, results from the ward level across the states of the Federation indicate that President Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and General Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress of Democratic Change (CPC) are leading in the southern and northern parts of the country respectively.

In areas where results were declared, particularly at polling stations, as directed by the INEC, Jonathan and Buhari won convincingly.

Interestingly, results from states controlled by the opposition parties, show that the PDP was in comfortable advantage unlike during the National Assembly election on April 9.

For instance, the PDP was leading in Ondo and Edo States controlled by the Labour Party (LP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) respectively.

Instructively, Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, had urged his people to vote for the PDP, and he had cause to explain his position yesterday when it became clear that the directive had elicited disenchantment from the people.

However, at the Lodasa Ward 7, Zone II, Ago-Itunu, Yaba, Ondo State, where the governor cast his vote, the PDP polled a total of 227 votes to lead the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that scored 12 votes. The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) secured six votes and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) scored six votes.

At the Majokolasan Open Space Ward 2 in Igbokoda, PDP polled 180 votes, ACN 12, and CPC, one vote.

The vice presidential running mate of the ANPP, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, lost in his polling unit in Benin City, Edo State. PDP won by 146 votes to ANPP’s three votes. The CPC scored 19 votes and the ACN had nine votes.

In Kano State controlled by the ANPP, Buhari beat the party presidential candidate, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and President Jonathan at the Kano Government House polling centre.

A breakdown of the scores indicates as follows:

Polling unit 016: ANPP 54, PDP 23, CPC 268; Polling unit 015: ANPP 75, PDP 38, CPC 472; Polling unit 014: ANPP 74, PDP 14, CPC 433; Polling unit 016: ANPP 54, PDP 23, CPC 681.

Others are Polling unit 017 ANPP 63, PDP 25, CPC 365; Polling unit 018 ANPP 35, PDP 37, CPC 276; Polling unit: 013 ANPP 62, PDP 42, CPC 375; and Polling unit: 012 ANPP 63, PDP 27, and CPC 289 votes.

However, in Benue Government House polling unit, PDP scored 299 votes, CPC 80 and ACN 17 votes.

In Adamawa at the Command polling unit, PDP polled 188 votes and CPC 182.

At St. John’s unit in Ilorin East, the PDP scored 272, CPC 18, and ACN 18.

At Police Barracks Ward 2, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, PDP secured 118 votes, CAN 29 and CPC 41 votes; while at Oduduwa Crescent, GRA, Ikeja Ward 4, PDP polled152 votes, CPC 78 and ACN 28 votes.

From the FCT/Municipal/Karu/Ung. Pashe/Agric Extension Office, the PDP scored 946 votes and CPC 199 votes.

In Rivers/Obio/Akpor/Rumueme (7b)/Army Children School, PDP secured 326 and CPC 12.

And in Edo/Ovia North East/Oluku/Ugbowo voting unit, the PDP polled 273, CPC 23 and ACN 18.