The lawmaker representing Osun West district in the National Assembly,
Senator Ademola Adeleke, has won the governorship primary election of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The Chairman of the Election Committee and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake
Dickson, declared the lawmaker the winner on Saturday after defeat three
other aspirants in the exercise held in Osogbo, the state capital.
Senator Adeleke polled a total of 1,569 votes to beat his closest rival Dr
Akin Ogunbiyi who scored 1,562 votes.
Delegates at the primary, however, demanded a recount of the ballot papers
but Governor Dickson reportedly declined the request.
Fatai Akingbade placed third with 52 votes, while Nathaniel Oke made up
the rear with three votes.
The primary election held at the GMT Hotel and Event Centre along Ring
Road in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
Seriake Dickson, Governor Bayelsa State, who chaired the committee
overseeing the electoral process, announced the results.
As of press time, Dickson had not revealed the total number of accredited
votes for the primary election.
Eleven aspirants were originally scheduled to contest the primaries but
seven of them — Adeola Durotoye, Adejare Rafiu Bello, Ayoade Adewepo, Jide
Ezekiel Adeniji, Senator Ogunwale Felix Kola, Akogune Lere Oyewumi,
Senator Olasunkami Akanbi Abdulrasheed — withdrew in the morning, leaving
the quarter of Adeleke, Ogunbiyi, Akingbade and Oke.
Some aggrieved delegates had also in the morning alleged that the voting
exercise was manipulated to favour a particular aspirant.
Adeleke would now go head-to-head with Gboyega Oyetola, who emerged
candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday.
