The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has presented the Certificate of Return to Otunba Bisi Kolawole, a winner of the January 26 governorship primary election in Ekiti State.
The PDP leadership led by the National Chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu presented a certificate of return to Kolawole in Abuja on Tuesday as the party’s standard-bearer in the election.
Other dignitaries include the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Walid Jibrin.
Recall that the state PDP chairman defeated other opponents, on January 26.
Kolawole polled 671 votes out of 1185 to clinch the party’s governorship ticket. Segun Oni emerged the second runner-up with 330 votes. other include Kemi Adewunmi 1 vote, Deji Ogunsakin 6 votes, Kayode Adaramodu 10 votes, Kolapo Olusola Eleka 93 votes, Wale Aribisala 56 votes, Olukemi Ojo 1 Vote, Deborah Alo 1 Vote, Lateef Ajijola 1 vote, Biodun Olujimi 2 Votes and votes void 13.
Kolawole, from Efon Alaaye in the Ekiti Central Senatorial District, was a former House of Assembly member from 2007 to 2011 and Commissioner for Environment under the administration of Fayose between 2015 and 2018.
Meanwhile, the party ignored allegations by a former Ekiti state governor, Segun Oni, that it sold the party’s ticket for the June 18 governorship election to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oni and five other aspirants lost the primary election to Mr Bisi Kolawole, believed to be the preferred candidate of another former Ekiti Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose.
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Accusing the PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu and Fayose of selling the PDP to the APC, Oni, in a statement on Sunday, described Kolawole as a duplicate copy of the APC governorship candidate in the election.
Reacting to Oni’s outburst, PDP spokesman Debo Ologunagba, said the former governor must have been misquoted in the media.
According to him, the Ekiti PDP governorship primary conducted last Wednesday, was free, fair and credible.
Ologunagba told our correspondent in a telephone interview that the PDP has not received formal complaints from Oni or any other aspirants that contested the primary.
Ologunagba said: “As I speak, there is no single petition before the party, either by Mr Oni or any other aspirants in the race.
“The only communication we received was from Senator Biodun Olujimi informing the party that she withdrew from the primary election before voting commenced.
“Mr Oni is one of our key stakeholders in the party and he is aware of existing dispute resolution channels in the party if he felt aggrieved.
“But I must say that the Oni that we know will never make those comments credited to him. I believe that was quoted out of context.”
But despite the denial, the party leadership has set up a reconciliation committee to mediate the disagreements thrown up by the shadow poll.
The nine-member committee is chaired by former Senate President David Mark It will be co-chaired by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
Other members are former Senate President Adolphus Wabara; Mrs Zainab Kure; Dr Charles Akitoye; Mr, Sergeant Awuse; Bala Mande; Chief Shuaibu Oyedokun; and Sen. Sanusi Daggash (Secretary).
According to Ologunagba, the committee has the mandated of reconciling “all our stakeholders in Ekiti State including all aspirants in the just-concluded governorship primary election in the state
“This is in line with the commitment of the NWC to ensure an amicable resolution of all issues as our party sets for a victorious governorship election in Ekiti State.”
