Former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Kolawole yesterday emerged as its governorship standard-bearer for the June 18 election.
The primaries which took place at the Eagle Hall located along Ado-Ikere road in Ado-Ekiti was contested by Segun Oni, Olusola Eleka, Lateef Ajijola, Ayodeji Ogunsakin, Kayode Adaramodu, Adewale Aribisala, Adekemi.
Shortly after the commencement of accreditation, Senator Biodun Olujimi pulled out the race on the ground that the delegates list was fraught with irregularities and sabotage.
As of Wednesday morning, the party had 13 aspirants jostling for the ticket, but 10 contenders participated in the exercise.
No fewer than 1,200 delegates from 177 wards across 16 councils cast their votes.
Scores of armed security men from the police, the Department of State Services, the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps, were deployed in the venue of the exercise.
Announcing the results, the Chairman of the Governorship Electoral Committee Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel declared Kolawole, who polled 671votes as the winner.
Kolawole who is believed to be the anointed aspirant of former Governor Ayodele Fayose defeated his closest rival Oni, who scored 330 votes.
While Kolapo Olusola came third after polling 93 votes, Olujimi who had earlier pulled out of the contested garnered 2 votes.
Other contenders and their scores are Adewale Aribisala 56, Olukemi Olumide-Ojo 21, Kayode Adaramodu 10, Ogunskin Deji 6, Lateef Ajijola 1, Yinka Akerele nil, Toyin Arogundade nil, Adekemi Adewumi 1, Deborah Alo 1.
In his remarks, Emmanuel said there was a level playing field for all the aspirants noting that the peaceful and orderly nature of the primary further proved the internal democracy in the ruling party.
Emmanuel commended all the aspirants and the delegates for the orderly way they conducted themselves during and after the exercise.
“There is a level playing field for all aspirants. The process was free, fair, and transparent to be sure that the best candidate emerged.
“Bisi Kolawole, having scored the highest number of votes cast in this election, is hereby declared the winner in accordance with the guidelines of our party”.
Kolawole commended the leadership of the party for providing a level playing ground for all aspirants, saying there was no breach of security.
He said: “Let me commend someone who is a good coach who discovered me. He just has seen something in me or read my antecedents. He is a wizard. I thank him for willingly giving me his endorsement making me the winner of this primary. The person is former governor Ayodele Fayose.
“Today, I want to say that we are all winners. Engr. Segun Oni is my brother and friend and I know that he will support this process. I want to commend other aspirants and appreciate them. Nobody can do it all alone.
“We are committed to delivering the people from sufferings being meted out to them in the last three years. You could all attest to the fact that the process of this election was free and fair, so I willingly accept to be the flag bearer of our great party in the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti”.
Oni congratulated Kolwole and promised to work with him.
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