Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who is the Chairman of the Osun People Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Primary yesterday declared Senator Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the second parallel primary held at Osun State stadium complex with 1,887 votes, while his closet rival Sanya Omirin scored four votes .
Ewhrudjakpo said other aspirants, Dele Adeleke scored 1, Fatai Akinbade nil, Dotun Babayemi nil and Akin Ogunbiyi nil.
He said a total of 1,916 votes were cast, while 24 were invalid votes.
“By the power conferred on me as the Chief Returning Officer of this gubernatorial primary, we hereby collectively declare Adeleke Ademola Jackson as the winner of this gubernatorial primary for 2022 governorship election in Osun,” he said.
Ewhrudjakpo, however, urged all other aspirants to join hands with the winner to win the July 16 governorship election in the state.
He also said that there was no parallel congress in the state, adding that any other congress apart from the one he supervised would 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, Adeleke said there is no victor, no vanquished in the primary.
He said: “ We are all winners. Let’s work together to rescue people of the state from the All Progressives Congress government.
“ By God’s grace, PDP will July 16 governorship election by a landslide to claim our stolen mandate.Our manifesto will be released in few days time”, he said.
Meanwhile, there was tension in Osogbo Osun State capital yesterday over the conduct of the governorship primary election all efforts to reach an agreement between the two factions of the Soji Adagunodo faction and Sunday Bisi faction proved abortive.
From all indications, there was a parallel primary contrary to the peace move by the National Working Committee of the party that statutory lists be use for the conduct of the primary to avoid any litigation at the end of the day.
While the Wale Ojo-led faction held their primary at Wocdif Centre, the Sunday Bisi faction held theirs at stadium, Osogbo.
Speaking with THISDAY yesterday Sunday Bisi-led faction said he has not received letter from any of the candidates that withdrew from today’s governorship primary election.
Bisi who said this at Osogbo Stadium, the venue of the primary, noted that six aspirants purchased forms from the National headquarters, which means six aspirants are contesting yesterday .
“If an aspirant is withdrawing, he has to write a formal letter to the party, informing the party that he is withdrawing from the race. Until that is done, we will take them as gubernatorial candidates that are contesting.
“However, if the Abuja delegates come, they may tell us if there are letters to that effect or not. And they will tell us the names of those affected.
“The new Electoral law allows candidates to pull out. And it is very clear.”
Bisi then expressed confidence that the process to select the gubernatorial candidate will go peacefully adding that “there will not be a cause for a fight or disarray.”
