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…As Sanwo-Olu flies APC flag for 2023 gubernatorial election
Abiodun OBA
Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Ogun State Governor, has emerged winner of the state governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress.
In the primary election conducted at the MKO International Stadium, Abeokuta, five other aspirants contested against the governor.
The aspirants include Olubiyi Otegbeye, Mrs Modele Sarafa- Yussuf, Mr Owodunni Opayemi, Remilekun Bakare and Abdukadir Akinlade.
Of the six aspirants, only Abiodun, attended the primary, while agents of all other aspirants, announced their presence and did what was expected of them.
The Chairman of the Ogun State APC Primary Election Committee, Chief Wale Ohu, disclosed that 1,180 delegates, from the 20 local governments, were accredited for the exercise.
Ohu announced that Abiodun scored 1,168 votes, while other aspirants, did not secure any vote, saying that two votes were voided.
Prior to the commencement of the process, Ohu, announced to the delegates and all the leaders of the party that attended the event, that all required agents, were present.
In his acceptance speech, Abiodun, who described the results of the exercise as overwhelming and Tsunami like, commended the delegates and party supporters, for their peaceful conduct, during the event.
The governor, who promised to work more for the development of people and the state, said the reward for hard work, is more work.
He enjoined the people of the state and party supporters, to shun camping of calumny and joins hands for the development of the state.
Meanwhile, barely few hours into the conduct of the exercise, Akinlade and Otegbeye passed vote of no confidence on the 5-man election panel under the chairmanship of Chief Wale Ohu.
They declared that Chief Ohu, as the chairman of the gubernatorial primary election in the state, lacked the capacity and integrity to conduct “an objective and the impartial” gubernatorial primary election for the state on the ground that “he is a partisan politician”.
In a statement issued in Abeokuta and jointly signed by Akinlade and Otegbeye, they queried the credentials of Ohu to have earned him the chairmanship of the election committee, alleging that previous exercises which he handled for APC in the state still accounted for the prevailing disaffection among party members.
They alleged that the Ohu-led APC governorship election panel did not make available to them, the delegates form as stipulated in the guidelines for the conduct of the exercise, but made such available to Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The duo said though, they would participate in the primary election because of their loyalty to the party and respect for its leadership, they however warned that post gubernatorial primary election dispute may be inevitable if the election panel failed to make available the authentic delegates list to the other aspirants before the commencement of the exercise.
In Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, incumbent State Governor, on Thursday, emerged Lagos All Progressives Congress, APC, flag-bearer for re-election bid in the 2023 governorship poll.
Sanwo-Olu, a sole contestant, emerged candidate at the APC 2023 Governorship primary, held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, formerly, Onikan Stadium, Lagos Island.
Sanwo-Olu during the exercise polled 1,170 votes to emerge winner.
Five delegates from 245 wards across 20 recognized Local Government Areas cast participated.
1,198 out of 1,225 registered State delegates were officially accredited for the exercise.
Voting started at about 2.pm and lasted till about 4pm before sorting and counting took place.
Earlier, heavy rainfall disrupted the process.The rain which started at about 2. 20 pm, collapsed the roof of large podium provided, which led to suspension of the exercise temporarily.
Officials and delegates had to take refuge in the hall of the stadium for safety.
Personalities at the event were: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, members of the Governance Advisory Council, GAC, state Executive Council, leaders and chieftains of the APC.
Members of the Lagos State Governorship Primary Election Committee of APC had barred one of the aspirants from the venue of the primary.
One of the contenders of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Abdul-Ahmed Mustapha, a former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Minerals Resources was barred from the venue when he showed up for the exercise.
Mustapha, resigned about 14 months ago and declared to vie against Sanwo-Olu picking up the N50 million governorship form of the party.
Other contestant is Olawale Oluwo, a former Commissioner for Energy and Minerals Resources under immediate past administration of Governor Akinwumi Ambode.
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