Featured, Politics
THE year 2020 ended on a winning note for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, after it reclaimed Edo State from the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the state’s governorship election. Governor Godwin Obaseki of the state, who defected to the PDP in June, defeated Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC to win his re-election bid.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Obaseki winner of the September 19 governorship election after polling 307,955 votes to defeat his closest opponent Ize-Iyamu of the APC, who garnered 223,619 votes and 12 other candidates.
Likewise, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who contested for re-election under his party, the APC defeated Eyitayo Jegede, candidate of the PDP in the election. He emerged winner of the Saturday, October 10, gubernatorial election after clinching 15 of the 18 local governments of the state, while Jegede won the remaining three local governments.
Similarly, on the winning side was Tokunbo Abiru, senator-elect, won the Lagos East senatorial bye-election under the platform of the APC. Abiru polled a total of 89,204 votes to defeat his closest rival, Babatunde Gbadamosi of the PDP, who got 11,257 votes to emerge second among candidates from 12 political parties.
In Plateau State, the candidate of the APC, Prof. Nora Daduut, was declared the winner for Plateau South Senatorial bye-election. The Returning Officer, Prof. Idris Amali, said Daduut polled a total of 83,15104 to defeat nine other candidates, including her closest rival and the PDP candidate, George Daika, who got 70,838 votes.
Likewise, Seriake Dickson, former governor of Bayelsa State was declared the winner of the Bayelsa West senatorial by-election. Dickson, the candidate of the PDP, polled 115,257 votes to defeat his closest rival, Peremobowei Ebebi of the APC, who polled 17,500 votes. Eleven political parties participated at the election. Dickson recently completed an eight-year tour of duty as Bayelsa governor.
In Cross River, Stephen Odey, candidate of the PDP was declared the winner of the Cross River North Senatorial District bye-election. He scored a total of 129,207 votes to defeat his closest rival Joe Agi of the APC, who scored 19,165 votes.
Apart from the winners in the year under review, the country also witnessed losers on the political front. Most shocking had been the collapse of Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Edo State and former national chairman of the APC. Oshiomhole lost his position as the national chairman of the ruling party after a prolonged legal battle and also lost control of his Edo State to Obaseki.
On the international scene, Joe Biden, US President-elect, is one of the biggest winners of the year 2020. Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States in November 2020, defeating the incumbent, Donald Trump, the first sitting president to lose reelection since George H. W. Bush in 1992. He is the second non-incumbent vice president (after Richard Nixon in 1968) to be elected president.
He is also expected to become the oldest president, as well as the first president, whose home state is Delaware (although he was born in Pennsylvania), and the second Catholic president after John F. Kennedy. Biden is expected to be inaugurated on January 20, 2021.
On the African scene, Nana Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, has won the 2020 presidential election in Ghana held on Monday, December 7. He defeated his closest rival and former President John Dramani Mahama by polling 6,730,413 votes (51.59 percent).
Mahama, who contested on the platform of the National Democratic Congress, got 6,240,889 votes (47.36 percent.) Akufo-Addo won in eight of the 16 regions while Mahama won in the other eight.
On the sports scene, won the Premier League title after several decades.
The Reds became Champions of England for the first time in over 30 years and for the 19th time overall. Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool manager, described winning the title as absolutely incredible. “I have no words. It’s unbelievable. Much more than I ever thought would be possible. Becoming champions with this club is absolutely incredible. It is an incredible achievement of my players … and a pure joy for me to coach them.”
– Dec. 31, 2020 @ 15:19 GMT /
Tags: All Progressives Congress Godwin Obaseki Osagie Ize-Iyamu Peoples Democratic Party Progressives Congress Seriake Dickson
