Two former Directors General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have secured their parties’ nods to contest election into the upper legislative chamber in the 2015 general election scheduled to hold in February.
Former NIMASA DG, Dr. Ade Dosunmu penultimate Sunday defeated Olumide Braithwaite – the son of eminent Nigerian and pro-democracy activist, Dr Tunji Braithwaite – in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Lagos Central Senatorial primary election to clinch the party’s ticket.
Dosunmu, a 2011 governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos, withdrew from the 2015 governorship race to seek the senatorial ticket.
Mrs. Nkechi Mba, the PDP presiding electoral officer for the zone, who announced the result at the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos where the primary election was held, commended the aspirants and the delegates for their conduct.
Announcing the result, she said that Dosunmu got 130 votes while Hakeem Gbajabiamila, a 2007 governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, got 83 votes to come second. Braithwaite polled seven votes.
Speaking to newsmen after he was declared victorious, Dosunmu expressed gratitude to the party for choosing him.
Dosunmu, who served as NIMASA DG from May 2007 to July 2009, will confront incumbent occupier of the seat, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu in the battle for the red chamber.
Dosunmu’s successor, Temisan Omatseye has also been elected to fly the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the contest for he senatorial election to represent Delta South.
The Delta South Senatorial zone comprises of three ethnic groups, namely the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko. Omatseye told SHIPS & PORTS DAILY that it was the turn of his Itsekiri ethnic nationality to produce the next senator of the zone.
In the current dispensation, which began in 1999, the Isoko, through Stella Omu represented the district between 1999 and 2003 while James Manager, an Ijaw, succeeded her in 2003 and has been there till date.
Senators Francis Okpozo, an Isoko and Franklin Atake, an Itsekiri had at different times in the past represented the district.
In a separate development, a foremost Master Mariner, former Minister of Interior and governorship aspirant in Imo State under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, has emerged as the party’s flag bearer.
Iheanacho won the APGA ticket in the just concluded party primaries held at the Rosy Art Theatre in Owerri the Imo State capital.
While declaring Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho as the winner of the governorship primaries, the Returning Officer, Mr. Austin Ndigwe, said Iheanacho got 974 votes to beat two other contestants, Okey Eze and Okey Unegbu who scored 44 and 3 votes respectively.
After receiving his Certificate of Return, Iheanacho said that the issue of youth unemployment, and industrialization would be in the front burner if he is elected Governor of Imo State in the 2015 general elections.
Ihenacho was Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shipping Companies Association (NSCA), Vice Chairman, Indigenous Shipowners Association (ISAN) and Chairman of Genesis Worldwide Shipping.
He served as Nigeria’s Minister of Interior from April 2010 to May 2011.
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