By Banji Ayoola
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has congratulated all the 35 candidates who were on Sunday elected at the primaries to fly the party’s flag in the coming State Assembly and House of Representatives elections.
In a statement early on Monday morning by the its state spokesman, Mr Ikantu Kennedy Peretei, the party said that “the orderly and peaceful manner in which delegates and party leaders conducted themselves during the exercise was a clear demonstration of the readiness of our great party to end the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the general elections next year.”
According to the statement: “Party Primaries are nothing but mechanism to strengthen internal democracy within the party. It is our collective responsibility to rescue and rebuild our nation from those who have practically grounded the country. The Primaries were essentially a family affair. There should be no bitterness nor ill feelings.
“We have put our hands on the plough and we shall not look back.
“Once again, we urge all party leaders to close ranks as we prepare for the general elections.”
Twenty six of the 35 candidates will slug it out with candidates of the other parties in the 26 state constituencies in the State Assembly election; while the remaining nine will contest the HOR election in the state’s nine federal constituencies in the 2023 elections.
As reported by The Radiance, the outcome of the exercise was remarkable as the minority leader of the State House of Assembly, Rasheed Elegbeye, was defeated by a greenhorn, Akintola Olanrewaju. Elegbeleye who is representing the Akure North-East state Constituency in the assembly, scored 18 votes while his arch-rival polled 22 votes.
On the other hand, a former member of the assembly, Hon. Kemisola Adesanya will fly the party’s ticket in the HOR election in the Akure South/North Federal Constituency. She polled 38 votes to defeat the party’s former candidate in the recent bye-election, Olumuyiwa Adu, who polled 19 votes, and Babatunde Faro (11 votes.)
The keenly contested primaries were observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) observed the exercise which was keenly contested and peaceful.
Altogether, 38 aspirants jostled for the nine HOR federal constituency seats; while another 72 battled for the 26 state assembly seats.
Also, Tomide Akinribido, the Deputy Minority Leader of the assembly won his return ticket for Ondo West Constituency 1, polling 12 votes to defeat his main rival, Taye Olagundoye who scored seven votes.
Similarly, the former Chairman of Akoko South East Local Government, Ojo Victor, won the primary held at Isua-Akoko with 12 votes.
Winner for Ilaje state constituency II is Soji Ayenuro, who polled 12 votes to defeat Benjamin Obebe who scored 6 votes and Favour Tomomewo scored zero.
Tomomewo, the only female in the assembly representing Ilaje Constituency 2 who lost her return bid, defected to the PDP from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A member of the state House, representing Idanre State Constituency, Hon. Festus Akingbaso, emerged the PDP candidate for Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency defeating three other aspirants for ticket.
In Akure Constituency 1, Olajide Oguntodun emerged the party’s candidate, polling 8 out of 19 votes to emerge the winner and defeating three other aspirants, including Babatunde Ajayi, Bankole Ajayi and Biodun Oluwarotimi.
The winners include Moses Eruebuke (Akure North); Dotun Olorunyomi (Odigbo constituency 1); Olu Falolu (Odigbo constituency 2); Adeolu Adeniran (Akure constituency 2); Femi Olafusi (Ondo East Constituency); Oyewole Aderemi (Idanre Constituency), Babatunde Fadare (Ileoluji/Okeigbo); Ojo Victor (Akoko South East ) and Akintola Olarewaju (Akoko North East constituency).
For the House of Representatives seats, there were Dr. Felix Kehinde (Ondo East/Ondo West) and Festus Akingbaso (ldanre /lfedore) among others.
While announcing the result, the chairman electoral committee, Mr Adeola Fagbayibo commended the aspirants and delegates for upholding the spirit of sportsmanship during the exercise.
The distribution of voting materials for electoral officers of each constituencies started at 12:10pm at the State party secretariat.
The House of Assembly primary of the party, scheduled for 10am started at 2:15pm in Akure constituency 1 at the State party secretariat near the Old Owo Motor park.
It was monitored by security operatives including the police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
