A parallel primary held by the Sunday Bisi-led faction of the Osun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday, produced Senator Ademola Adeleke as the standard-bearer of the party for the governorship election later this year.
The faction had its primary at the stadium in Osogbo, while the Wale Ojoled faction produced Dotun Babayemi as candidate, at the primary held at WOCDIF Event Centre, also in Osogbo. Voting activities in the two venues went peacefully as every participant observed the rules and regulations of the game without molestations.
Delegates from the 332 wards in the 30 local government areas of the state organised themselves on a single line of different queues under observation of security operatives.
Those seen at the Wale Ojo faction were a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Senator Olu Alabi, Dele Adeleke, former deputy governor, Chief (Mrs) Olusola Obada, Dotun Babayemi, among others.
At the stadium venue of the other faction were Honourable Wole Oke, representing Obokun-Oriade federal constituency; Senator Francis Fadahunsi, senator representing Osun Central senatorial district; Honourable Bamidele Salam, representing Ede/Ejigbo, Egbedore federal constituency, Chief Ajeigbe, Professor Wale Oladipo, Bunmi Jenyo, Clement Akanni, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, former national deputy chairman of the PDP; Diran Odeyemi and Lere Oyewumi Also at the stadium were members of the Sunday Bisiled executive, which has the support of the national secretariat of the PDP.
Bayelsa State deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewurujakpo and former minister of transport, Abiye Sekibo, monitored the exercise.
There were heavy security presence at the two venues, with combined teams of policemen, officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), operatives of State Security Service, operatives of Amotekun corps, amongst others, in good position.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Olawale Olokode, also monitored the exercise at the two venues.
At the end of the exercise held at WOCDIF, Babayemi polled 1,781 votes to emerge the factional candidate of the party for the election.
While announcing the result, the returning officer, Adelani Ajanaku and electoral officer, Abioye Musibau, gave the breakdown as, total votes cast, 1,907; void votes, 27; valid votes 1,880; Akin Ogunbiyi got 23 votes; Fatai Akinbade, 28; Dele Adeleke, 32; Sanya Omirin, six and Dotun Babayemi, 1,781.
In his acceptance speech, Babayemi said, “Let me assure you that I will not let you down as your representative. Today, I promise not to be the candidate of few but a governorship candidate of all.”
While announcing the result of Sunday Bisi camp where Ademola Adeleke belongs, the returning officer, Bayelsa deputy governor, Senator Ewurujakpo, announced Ademola Adeleke as the winner in the election.
He gave the breakdown as Ademola Adeleke (1,887), Dele Adeleke (one), Fatai Akinbade (nil), Dotun Babayemi (nil), Akin Ogunbiyi (nil), Sanya Omirin (four), invalid votes (24) and put the total number of accreditated votes as 1,916. Speaking after the exercise, the chief returning officer declared Adeleke Ademola as the winner of the gubernatorial primary of PDP in Osun.
“Any other primary held outside this place is invalid and will not be recognised. The crown is here, the palace is here and the authority is here. Any exercise not done here cannot be recognised,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Adeleke appreciated his political supporters for the support and promised not to let them down.
He said, “No victor, no vanquished. We are all winners. Let us work together to rescue people of Osun State from the current APC government. The good people of Osun State have suffered enough under the current APC government.”
Adeleke also promised to make the state a transformed one if elected as the next governor.
