Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Friday voted foremost pharmacist, Mr Jimi Agbaje, as its governorship candidate for the 2019 elections holding across the country.
He polled a total of 1,100 votes against his only challenger, Engnr Adedeji Doherty who scored 724 at the party’s primary held in Oregun area of the state.
The exercise which lasted for 30 hours, having commenced on Thursday, recorded no fewer than 23 invalid votes.
Announcing the result of the exercise, the Chairman of a five-man panel constituted by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), on Lagos governorship primary, Senator Victor Oyofo, described the exercise as free and fair.
He further described the exercise as a keenly contested election, adding that it portrayed what the country’s democracy should look like.
“The primary which commenced yesterday was concluded today. It was a keenly contested election which portrayed what our democracy should look like.
And since the votes of both candidates have counted. By the power conferred on me, I declare Chief Agbaje as the winner of the contest. I believe that he would be the next governor of Lagos State,” Oyofo said.
In his acceptance speech, Agbaje stressed that his decision to contest for the post was to free Lagos from the disease that had constantly affected its growth, adding that Lagos was seriously infected by a disease.
“There is a need for us to free Lagos from the disease that has affected it. In a few weeks, I will be explaining that, but the state is seriously infected by a disease.
All other diseases that had affected the state were due to the symptoms of that disease,” he said.
He stated that to achieve this, he would defeat APC candidate, Sanwo-Olu and other contenders and become the next governor of the state.
On how to achieve the feat considering the grip of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the state, Agbaje stressed that his campaign policy would be built on the successes he recorded during the 2015 election in the state.
“We recorded so much in 2015 and we have to build on it. I believe that was the reason the party members decided to elect me again. And that gives me the confidence that we will win next year,” Agbaje said.
Accepting the outcome of the primary, Doherty assures Agbaje of his support to free Lagos from its challenges, saying the debt already incurred by present and previous administrations cannot be paid easily by anyone.
Agbaje, who lost to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode during the 2015 gubernatorial election, will face the APC candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the 2019 poll.
The pharmacist contested the same position on the PDP platform in the 2015 election and lost the contest to the incumbent, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode with about 100,000 votes.
Nigerian Tribune
