Osun PDP Governorship Primaries: Two candidates emerge in parallel primaries

Crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Southwest Nigeria, took another dimension. It held two primary elections where Senator Ademola Adeleke and Mr Adedotun Babayemi emerged as candidates for the July 16 governorship poll.

Voice of Nigeria correspondent reported two factions in Osun PDP; One faction led by Mr Sunday Bisi, and Mr Wale Ojo led the other.

While the Sunday Bisi led faction held its primary election at the Osogbo City Stadium, the Wale Ojo group held its primary at the Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation Centre (WOCDIF), Osogbo.

 

The Sunday Bisi led faction produced Senator Adeleke, who won the contest with 1,887 votes to beat Sanya Omirin, who scored four votes.

Earlier on Monday, a few hours to the governorship primary slated for Tuesday, four of the six cleared aspirants had withdrawn from the race, citing partisanship of the PDP National Executives.

They alleged that PDP National Chairman Senator Iyiorcha Ayu was biased in favour of former Senator Ademola Adeleke, who became, with their withdrawal, the only contender against Prince Dotun Babayemi in the primary election.

Senator Adeleke has the support of the PDP National Assembly members and the National Secretariat of the PDP with the presence of the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. He was the chairman of the electoral committee and Senator Abiye Sekibo as the secretary.

Also in attendance were: Prof. Wale Oladipo, Reverend Bunmi Jenyo, Clement Akanni, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP National, Mr Diran Odeyemi.

Other are; Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, a federal lawmaker; Taofeek Ajilesoro representing Ife Northern Federal Constituency; and the acting chairman of Osun PDP, Sunday Bisi.

However, major stakeholders in the Osun State PDP were at the WOCDIF Center. Among them are former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Deputy Governor, Erelu Olusola Obada, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun, Dr Olu Alabi, Chief Tajudeen Oladipo, among others.

Voice of Nigeria reports that hours before the primary, four aspirants out of six withdrew from the race, leaving only the PDP governorship candidate in 2018, Senator Ademola Adeleke and Adedotun Babayemi, to battle for the party ticket.

Ewhrudjakpo, after declaring the result of the primary, commended all party delegates for their decorum and urged all PDP members to work together for the party’s victory at the July 16 governorship poll.

Parallel Primary Election

At the end of the primary election held at WOCDIF Centre, Prince Dotun Babayemi emerged winner, as declared by the Returning Officer, Hon. Adelani Ajanaku.

Ajanaku, who announced that Dotun Babayemi won 1,781 votes, said further that Dele Adeleke scored 32 votes, Fatai Akinbade polled 28 votes, Akin Ogunbiyi won 23 votes, and Sanya Omirin garnered 16 votes.

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

However, while reacting to the news that they had conducted a parallel primary election somewhere else in the state, Ewhrudjakpo noted that there could only be one recognised primary which was the one he supervised.

He said: “The palace is here, the crown is here, the king is here. INEC officials from Abuja and the State office are here; therefore, ours is the authentic election. Any other primary held elsewhere in Osun State is null and void.

No Victor, No Vanquished

In his acceptance speech, Senator Ademola Adeleke thanked the Primary Election Committee for its fairness and commended the delegates for their steadfastness.

He said that there was no victor and no vanquished, adding that victory in his estimation belonged not to him but the party and the people.

“I thank all those who voted for me and those who did not vote for me. I also thank my co-contestants for their courage and sportsmanship.”

“There is no victor and no vanquished. We are all winners. Let’s work together to rescue the people of Osun State from the current APC government,” he urged.

Prince Babayemi thanked everyone who contributed to his emergence and tasked them with unity and cooperation in his acceptance speech.

“My victory today is not a victory for Omooba Dotun Babayemi but a victory dedicated to all members of our great party and genuine lovers of democracy.

“The task ahead is humongous but not insurmountable. All hands must therefore be on deck to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state,” he said.

The aspirants, who had earlier announced their withdrawal ahead of the party’s primaries are; Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, Bamidele Adeleke; a former Secretary to the Osun State Government, Fatai Akinbade; and Emmanuel Olusanya Omirin.

 

E/Suzan O.