Adekunle Akinlade and Biyi Otegbeye, who were governorship aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, on Thursday kicked against the result of the party’s primary election which produced Governor Dapo Abiodun as the elected governorship candidate of the party in the State.
The aggrieved aspirants questioned the credibility of the electoral panel headed by Wale Ohu and the delegates list to be used for the exercise, concluding that Wale Ohu-led APC electoral committee was not fair to other aspirants and therefore, could not conduct free, fair and credible primaries.
BusinessDay reports that Governor Abiodun contested the election with five other aspirants, Adekunle Akinlade, Biyi Otegbeye, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, Owodunni Opayemi and Remi Bakare, but the incumbent governor won the primaries by polling a total of 1,168 votes to defeat his other contestants, who scored no vote.
The APC governorship primaries in Ogun State which was an indirect primary poll was conducted by the five-man electoral panel, led by Wale Ohu and took place at the MKO Abiola International Stadium at Kuto in Abeokuta, the state capital and was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by Ogundana Helen.
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Ohu announced Abiodun as the winner of the election after delegates drawn from the 236 wards within the 20 local government areas of the state cast their votes.
According to Wale Ohu, 1,180 delegates were accredited for the election and Governor Dapo Abiodun emerged winner, having polled 1,168 votes.
“Prince Adedapo Abiodun, having scored the highest majority vote cast is hereby declare the winner of the APC governorship primary election in Ogun state and he is hereby declared the governorship candidate of APC to stand in the 2023 governorship election in the state”, Ohu said.
Governor Abiodun in his acceptance speech, described the election as a victory for the people of the state and promised to continue with a massive turnaround of the State with infrastructural development.
He thereafter appreciated the people of the State for the continuous support and prayers, just as he also commended the electoral committee from the APC National Headquarters, saying they had conducted a free and fair election.
