Ogun PDP guber update: Parallel primaries produce two candidates

Adebayo Obajemu

Crisis is already brewing in Ogun PDP as two factions of the party held parallel governorship primaries in Abeokuta on Wednesday to elect governorship flag bearers for the party ahead of the 2023 elections.

The faction which had the state party executives on ground conducted its primaries at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) where Ladi Adebutu emerged as the candidate.

The other faction said to have produced Segun Sowunmi, former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar as its governorship candidate staged its primaries at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abeokuta.

Mr Adebutu, who once represented Remo North Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, defeated three other contestants.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise was supervised by a five-man Electoral Committee from the National Headquarters headed by Akase Sorkaa.

Announcing the result of the election at exactly 10:50pm , Mr Sorkaa said Mr Adebutu polled 714 votes to defeat Mr Sowunmi, Jimi Lawal and Abimbola Abodunrin who all polled zero vote.

He encouraged all the delegates to elect candidates that would be acceptable to the people.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Adebutu expressed satisfaction on the conduct of the exercise, saying he was happy with his election as the candidate of the party.

Earlier, in the parallel election that produced Mr Sowunmi, the chairman of the electoral committee, Abayomi Daniel announced him the winner of the election after the votes were counted.

Mr Abayomi said Mr Sowunmi contested against two other aspirants, Messrs Lawal and Adebutu who were not physically present but were represented by their agents at the primaries.

According to him, Mr Sowunmi polled 555 votes to defeat his closest rival, Lawal, who scored 30 votes while Adebutu polled 15 votes.

According to Mr Daniel, a total number of 778 delegates were accredited, 702 votes cast, while three votes were voided.

“By the power conferred on me by the national leadership of our great party as the chairman electoral committee of the PDP governorship primary election in Ogun, I declare Segun Sowunmi winner of the election, haven polled the highest number of votes and he is hereby returned and elected,” Mr Daniel said.

Mr Sowunmi in his acceptance speech, commended members of the party for their support and promised not to let them down.

He called on other aspirants to work together with him to secure victory for the party in the 2023 general elections.