Osun 2018: Dancer Senator Adeleke wins PDP governorship ticket

Dancer Senator Ademola Adeleke, representing Osun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, on Saturday, July 21, 2018, was declared winner of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) governorship primary election.

Chairman of the Osun PDP Primary Election Panel, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, announcing the result, indicated that Adeleke had 1,569 votes, while Akin Ogunbiyi, Chief Executive Officer of Mutual Benefit Assurance, had 1,562 votes to come second.

The result showed that Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, a former Secretary to Osun State Government, had 56 votes; Nathaniel Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) had 3 votes.

Dickson highlighted that 3,448 delegates were expected to participate in the election but 3,246 accredited delegates participated in the process. He noted that 56 votes were rejected.

He said 56 votes were voided, adding that any aspirant who is not satisfied with the result can appeal to the National Working Committee of the party.

The Bayelsa State Governor had counseled that there was no loser in the election, appealing for cooperation of all stakeholders for the victory of the party.

“This exercise is a brotherly contest; A contest of brothers of the same family.

“This exercise is a beginning of a long journey and we must join hands together to win the election,” Dickson declared.

Former Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State supervised the counting of the votes.

National Daily gathered that seven aspirants had withdrawn from the primary election before the commencement of the voting process. The aspirants include: Adejare Bello, former Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly; Professor Adeolu Durotoye, Jide Adeniji, Sen. Olasunkanmi Akinlabi,  Ayoade Adewopo, Lere Oyewumi and Felix Ogunwale.

The aspirants explained that they stepped down in response to appeals by party leaders and also to ensure cohesion within the party.

Adeleke won the Senatorial election on July 9, 2017 after the demise of his brother Isiaka Adeleke. He defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) after he was denied the ticket for the election; he joined the PDP and defeated the APC candidate and others.

The elder brother, Isiaka Adeleke, died on April 23, 2017, while representing Osun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly on the platform of APC.

Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, Chief of Staff to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, on Friday, July 20, 2018, was declared winner of the APC primary election, and thus, the governorship candidate of the ruling party in the September 22, 2018 governorship election in Osun. Senator Iyiola Omisore, former PDP governorship candidate, also emerged the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).