Eight governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), today, boycotted the Ogun governorship primary election which to pick a candidate for the 2015 elections.
They Asiwaju Tony Ojesina, Prince Yanju Lipede, Dr. Remilekun Bakare, Alhaji Sarafa Tunji Ishola, Dr. Yomi Majekodunmi, Professor David Bamgbose, Isiaq Akinlade, Alhaji Rafiu Ogunleye and former speaker of the House of Representatives and Dimeji Bankole.
Also absent at the primary were the former Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-governor Gbenga Daniel whose names were mentioned.
However, in spite of cancellation of the primary by the party”s National Working Committee following the confusion over the delegates list, the state branch of the party went ahead to elect the former governorship candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in the 2011 election, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka as its governorship candidate in the state.
The primary which was held at the party Secretariat, Kuto, Abeokuta was monitored by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The winner of the primary polled 705 votes to defeat Jelili Kayode Amusan and Omoba Segun Adewale who scored 151 and zero votes, respectively. Over 900 delegates voted in the Ogun PDP governorship primary.
The election was held under tight security provided by heavily armed anti-riot policemen, men of the State Security Service and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Delegates were thoroughly frisked by stern-looking security agents who manned the gates to the PDP state secretariat venue of the primary which kicked off at about 2:25pm.
The PDP National Working Committee had earlier in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary; Olisa Metuh announced the cancellation of the Ogun governorship primary.
Metuh said that the Ogun PDP governorship primary had not been authorized by the party’s national headquarters, warning that the exercise which had been declared null and void would amount to a nullity.
The PDP national publicity secretary said that a new date for the conduct of the Ogun PDP governorship primary would be announced later by the party national leadership.
In his opening remarks before voting commenced, Chairman of Ogun PDP, Chief Bayo Dayo assured that the primary election would produce a credible governorship candidate for the party in the state.
Bayo who told newsmen earlier that he was not aware of the directives of the PDP NWC cancelling the primary expressed confidence that the party’s standard bearer would defeat the incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun in the 2015 governorship election in the state.
“Today will mark the beginning of good things in the party. By 2015, we’ ll drive this APC government away. My ambition is to have PDP returned to power in 2015,” Bayo said.
One of the aspirants who participated in the governorship primary election, Amusan who stormed out before the announcement of the full results said that he had accepted the outcome.
In his remarks, after he was declared winner, the PDP governorship candidate said that his election as the party’s standard bearer for next year’s poll followed due process and was conducted in observance of the rule of law. [myad]
