The Ondo State Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Sunday, emerged the winner of the governorship primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state held between Saturday and Sunday.
Though as of the time of filing this report, the results of the poll were still being announced by the chairman of the primary election committee and Governor of Kogi State, Mr Usman Ododo, Aiyedatiwa was in clear lead.
As of the time of filing this report, results from 15 out of the 18 local government areas in the state had been announced and Aiyedatiwa won all 15.
According to the chairman of the election committee, Aiyedatiwa scored 42,035 votes from the 15 LGAs so far declared.
As of the time of filing this report at 10:52 pm, the committee had proceeded on a short break.
It was earlier reported that the 16 APC aspirants competed for a total of 171, 922 votes.
They include senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim; Olusola Oke SAN, former President of Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Francis Faduyile, a mechanical engineer, Dr Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo and the National Vice Chairman of the APC (South West), Isaac Kekemeke.
Others are Dr Soji Ehinlanwo, Akinfolarin Samuel, Okunjimi Odimayo, Adewale Akinterinwa, Olugbenga Edema and Brig. Gen. Ohunyeye Olamide (retd), Morayo Lebi, Oladiran Iyatan and Engnr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele.
Earlier on Sunday, scores of members of the APC in the state took to the streets of Akure, the state capital to protest against the conduct of the primary.
Speaking for the protesters, the Director General of Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation, Ondo Central Senatorial District, Mr Adeniran Oyebade, said the people of the state would not allow their mandate to be stolen
Oyebade said, “We are protesting against our mandate that was stolen. It was a daylight robbery, a monumental disaster. The APC delegated some people to Ondo State to conduct the primary, apparently, that was never done. They remained in Akure and started writing results.”
The protesters alleged that the primary election committee led by Governor Ododo did not follow the party’s guidelines.
The protesters, who also stormed the state secretariat of the APC in Akure, expressed displeasure over the conduct of the governorship primary in the state. They were said to be supporters of some governorship aspirants who participated in the primary and lost out.
They were armed with placards with various inscriptions such as “No election in Ondo”; “APC primary electoral officers failed to show up in all wards in Ondo State,’ ‘We demand fairness and justice in APC primary election in Ondo’’; ‘No mandate for Aiyedatiwa, We’re calling for fresh primary election”; ‘NWC of APC No Mandate for Aiyedatiwa”; “Saturday ‘s APC primary in Ondo was a sham”, among others.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
