Drama as PDP elects two governorship candidates at primaries in Osun

 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun on Tuesday elected two governorship candidates at the party’s parallel primaries for the July 16 governorship election in the state.

At one of the primaries held at the Osogbo City Stadium, under the supervision of Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as Chairman of the Osun governorship primary, former Senator Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner.

While declaring Mr Adeleke winner, Mr Ewhrudjakpo, said he scored 1, 887 votes, while his closet rival, Sanya Omirin, scored four votes.

The primary was supervised by the party’s representatives from Abuja, as well as officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

At another primary held at the Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation (WOCDIF), Osogbo, there were no representatives from the PDP headquarters in Abuja.

INEC representatives were also absent.

Dotun Babayemi was however declared winner.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo said other aspirants, Dele Adeleke scored one vote, Fatai Akinbade, Dotun Babayemi and Akin Ogunbiyi recorded zero.

He said that a total of 1916 votes were recorded, while 24 votes were invalid.

“By the power conferred on me as the chief returning officer of this gubernatorial primary, we, hereby collectively declared Adeleke Ademola Jackson, as the winner of this gubernatorial primary for 2022 governorship election in Osun,” he said.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo urged all other aspirants to join hands with the winner to enable the party win the July 16 governorship election in the state.

He also urged Mr Adeleke to be magnanimous in victory.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo said there was no parallel congress in the state.

According to him, “any other congress, apart from the one I supervised will not be recognised by the national Headquarters of the party.

“The king is here and the crown is here. This is the authentic congress and any other one conducted in any other place will not be recognised,” he said.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Adeleke said there was no victor, no vanquished in the primary election.

According to him, we are all winners. Let’s work together to rescue people of the state from the All Progressives Congress-led government.

“By God’s grace, PDP will win the July 16 Governorship election by a landslide to claim our stolen mandate. Our manifesto will be released in few days time,” he said.

At the WOCDIF Centre, Adelani Ajanaku, the Returning Officer, said Mr Babayemi scored 1,781 votes, while his closet rival, Mr Adeleke scored 32 votes.

Mr Ajanaku said Fatai Akinbade scored 28 votes, Mr Ogunbiyi (23 votes) while Mr Omirin polled 16 votes.

He said that 1,907 votes were recorded, with 27 others voided.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Babayemi said he was grateful to all his brothers and co-contestants, who voluntarily allowed him to fly the party’s flag.

“Your sacrifice is appreciated. Let me assure you that I will not let you down as your representative.

“I am indeed grateful to everyone for the confidence reposed in me, while making a solemn promise never to disappoint you.

“Today, I promise not to be the candidate of few, but a governorship candidate of all,” he said.

(NAN)