Ekiti State: Governor Fayose’s candidate defeats Adeyeye to pick PDP Guber ticket

With 1,190 votes secured in the primary election, Kolapo Olusola, deputy governor of Ekiti state, has won the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the July 14 governorship election.

Olusola, the incumbent deputy governor of Ekiti, is the preferred aspirant of Ayodele Fayose, governor of the state. He beat former party spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who polled 770 votes. Total number of votes was 1,968 while 7 were void.

The third aspirant, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, had earlier withdrawn shortly before the commencement of the exercise for Adeyeye.

The voting, which started with the members of the state executive, was done according to local government areas.

The exercise was peaceful all through.

Voting ended at 5:05pm and the committee chaired by Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state, gave the aspirants the opportunity to comment about the poll before collation began.

Both aspirants expressed satisfaction with the exercise.

There was tension in the hall when the ballot papers were sorted in two different baskets and the difference between the two aspirants appeared insignificant.

As agents had their eyes fixed on the baskets, supporters moved from one end of the hall to the other.

When asked Fayose to comment about the exercise and he said: “Interesting.” He was later heard telling one of his aides: “Too close, I can’t believe it.”

Adeyeye polled 770 votes.

In his reaction, Olusola said: “I appreciate God and thank the committee for doing a good job. I thank Prince Adeyeye and Senator Olujimi for their courage.

“In journeys like this there would be a divide. They are leaders of the party irrespective of what has happened before this primary.

“They should join hands with the party to win the ultimate which is the July 14 election. I commend all the delegate for exercising their civic right.

“I urge all the political parties to emulate the PDP in organising a peaceful, credible, free and fair primary.

“I will reach out to Prince Adeyeye and Senator Olujimi and personally visit them. I appeal to them in the overall interest of the party to work for our common goal.”

Olusola also thanked Fayose whom he described as his mentor. He said the PDP would record another “16-0” in July election. Fayose won in all the local government areas of the state in 2014.

Following the violence which marred its primary on Saturday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) fixed another exercise for Friday.

Whoever emerges on Friday will face Olusola in the election.

Source: nigerianeye