By Olusegun Olanrewaju

Immediate past Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Bisi Kolawole, yesterday emerged as the candidate of the party for the June 18 governorship election in the state.

The result marked the peak of acrimonious polling that had initially reportedly ‘forced’ another frontline candidate, former state deputy governor and senator who represented Ekiti South in the National Assembly, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, of dumping the race at the last minute.

Olujimi had also been quoted to have alleged that she had been disenfranchised by the party, saying, ‘The party doesn’t believe in me’.

Meanwhile, the winner, Kolawole, according to reports, was the preferred and anointed candidate of the former state governor, Ayodele Fayose. He had earlier resigned his position as Ekiti PDP chairman to contest the governorship election.

He is a former lawmaker who represented the Efon constituency in the state house of assembly and also served as commissioner of environment between 2015 and 2018.

While endorsing Kolawole for the governorship election, Fayose had described him as a bridge-builder who will usher in a better future for Ekiti and the PDAs the state’s opposition party, the PDP’s newly inaugurated National Working Committee (NWC) led by Dr. Iyorchia Ayu had worked hard to reclaim the state, as one of the 25 states it said it was hoping to capture by 2023.

Other aspirants in the race are another former deputy governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, who scored 93 votes, and former House of Representatives member, Wale Aribisala, who scored 56 votes.

A financial expert, Kayode Adaramodu, also-ran, but garnered 10 votes; as well as a former deputy governorship candidate, Deji Ogunsakin, raked in six votes.

Senator Olujimi, who had earlier pulled out of the exercise, citing ‘disenfranchisement’, secured two votes.

The Chairman, PDP Primary Election Committee for Ekiti State, and Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, declared Kolawole elected, “having certified the conditions and scored the highest votes by scoring 671 votes.”

The chairman also congratulated other aspirants for sportsmanship and urged them to join hands to win the June 18 election.

“It is God’s design to make me the winner of this election,” Kolawole said in his acceptance speech, adding, “I want to willingly accept it. The result has been very clear, the process has been very clear, credible and it makes everybody happy.

“I am very sure members of our party, our leaders are very happy because we have promised that once the process is very open and fair to all, we will all accept the result. It has pleased God to make me the winner of the election, I willingly accept to be the flagbearer of our great party.”

Responding, ex-governor Oni said, “We are going to fight together to make him (Kolawole) governor. We are satisfied with the process, and no one is complaining. You saw it all here.

Accreditation for the election began early, amid heavy security.

Men of the Nigeria Police, Department of State Service (DSS) Nigerian Army, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were sighted at the entrance and around the Pastoral Centre located on Ado-Ikere road, the venue of the exercise.

Accreditation commenced at about 12:45 pm with delegates from the Ido/ Osi local government witnessing a pocket crisis as loyalists of Oni protested against alleged manipulation of the process.

The accreditation, which is being done by the five-man electoral committee headed by its Chairman and Governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel, is witnessed by officials of the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC.

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He said that the five-member electoral committee in collaboration with security agencies would not allow accreditation and voting processes to be disrupted or manipulated by anybody.

Emmanuel stated that all arrangements had been concluded including watertight security to ensure smooth conduct of the exercise.

Before the election, Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix Femi Ajakeye, advised political parties and the electorate to resist attempts by “political opportunists and one-off politicians” to forcibly take over Ekiti State in the June 18 governorship poll.

He also appealed to participating political parties to conduct credible primaries, to avert violence and bloodshed that could heat up the polity and truncate the electoral process.

Heavy security
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba deployed additional policemen from Abuja to Ekiti State to complement personnel on the ground in the state.

Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, said the move was “in a bid to maintain a serene atmosphere and free, fair and credible governorship primary elections of the PDP and the APC.”

Thuggery
No fewer than 100 armed suspected political thugs were arrested at the border town of Itawure in Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State.

Police spokesperson in the state, Sunday Abutu, confirmed the arrest to Channels Television yesterday.

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Abutu explained that the suspects were coming from the Oyo State axis before they were apprehended by soldiers on guard at the town bordering Osun State.

He added that the suspects were arrested with various dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, guns, and charms.

The suspects were reportedly taken to Akure, the Ondo State capital, for further action.
10:53 am 27/01/2022