PDP Primaries: Aspirants’ supporters clash over delegates’ list in Ogun

The parallel governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state has been disrupted following a shouting march and clash over delegates’ list.

The primaries, holding in the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) on Wednesday, was brought to a halt when loyalists of two governorship aspirants, Ladi Adebutu and Jimi Lawal, clashed over the delegate list to adopted for the exercise.

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This happened hours after another PDP faction conducted the primary election that produced Segun Sowunmi as the party’s factional candidate.

The aspirants contesting for the Governorship ticket of the party are: Ladi Adebutu, Jimi Lawal, Segun Sowunmi and Abodunrin John Abimbola.

The parallel election which took place at the premises of NUJ saw Sowunmi polling 554 votes to emerge winner.

Few hours later, another primaries where Lawal and Adebutu attended ended abruptly following a clash on two delegates’ lists.

Daily Trust reports that trouble had started shortly after the PDP electoral panel, headed by Prof Akase Sorkaa had announced the mode of conduct of the exercise.

Our correspondent who was at the venue observed that some loyalists of Lawal, an ex-banker, raised an objection, rejecting a delegates’ list brought from the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

This led to a shouting march between supporters of Lawal and Adebutu who also engaged one another pushing and shoving.

One of the aides of Lawal, Austin Oniyokor, who some documents claiming to have been certified by INEC, insisted that the exercise must not take place unless the said document is adopted.

The drama which lasted for over 30 minutes saw security operatives helpless while INEC officials temporarily relocated from the hall.

“This exercise cannot be conducted with fake list. These are INEC generated documents. These are your certified documents,” Oniyokor shouted whole addressing INEC officials.

However, the state chairman of the party, Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele called for calm among the warring factions to allow the primary hold peacefully.

He insisted that, the delegates list being adopted was brought from national headquarters of the party by the electoral committee.

The secretary of the party, Sunday Solarin alleged that the drama was a ploy by some elements to disrupt the exercise.