Ademola Adeleke wins NWC-backed Osun PDP guber primary

Ademola Adeleke has been declared the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun after winning the primary election backed by the national working committee (NWC).

Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the returning officer and deputy governor of Bayelsa state, said 1916 delegates took part in the exercise.

He said Adeleke polled 1887 votes to defeat the other contenders in the race.

Dotun Babayemi, Akinbade Fatai and Akin Ogunbiyi each had no vote while Bamidele Adeleke polled one vote and Sanya Omirin had four.

Babayemi had earlier won the parallel primary election backed by Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the former governor of Osun state.

Both primaries took place simultaneously — one at WOCDIF event centre and the other held inside Osun Township Stadium.

Bamidele Adeleke, nephew of Ademola Adeleke, and Akinbade had earlier announced their withdrawal from the race — but they later pitched their tent with Babayemi.

“We know some people will go to court after this exercise, but God will not allow them,” the younger Adeleke had said.

“Let’s come together and support our candidate, Dotun Babayemi, and ensure he wins the governorship election.”

The Oyinlola-backed faction said the NWC failed to heed a court order mandating the use of the list from the congress held across the 215 wards in the state.

The congress was organised by Olasoji Adagunodo, PDP national vice-chairman (south-west).

However, the Bayelsa deputy governor maintained that the NWC does not recognise the parallel election conducted by the Oyinlola faction.

“It is fake,” Ewhrudjakpo had told TheCable at the Osun Township Stadium.