Lagos PDP Governorship Primaries: Obanikoro Rejects Result

Musiliu Obanikoro, an aspirant at the
Lagos PDP gubernatorial primaries, has
described the election as a “complete
sham.”
Mr. Obanikoro polled 343 votes to
emerge runners up in the ill-tempered
primaries in which Jimi Agbaje won
with 432 votes.
The former Minister of State said that
the “electoral fraud” was condemnable
and he would fight the result of the polls.
Trouble started at the venue of the
primaries after Seidu Kumo, a former
Senator and chairman of the electoral
committee, announced 863 as the total
votes cast.

Before delegates began voting, the
committee had announced 806 as the
number of accredited delegates.
“I still can’t comprehend how accredited
delegates of 806 rose to 867,” Mr.
Obanikoro told journalists inside his
campaign office in Lagos, midnight
Tuesday.
“With the benefit of hindsight now, you
could tell it was a predetermined
situation.”

Earlier, after the result was announced
at the venue of the primaries, Mr.
Agbaje expressed his satisfaction and
called on other aspirants for their
support.
Violence had erupted outside the venue
of the primaries hours before voting
began.
Bode George, a party chieftain and key
supporter of Mr. Agbaje, blamed Mr.
Obanikoro for using his thugs to unleash
mayhem and intimidate delegates.
But Mr. Obanikoro denied the claim,
insisting that Mr. George’s loyalists were
to blame.
“Bode George brought some people to
come and create that situation but police
arrested it, but it was definitely Bode
George,” Mr. Obanikoro said.
“Did you see me there the time that the
crisis was on? It was his man, Agbalaya
and others.
“As far as we are concerned, there is no
election result and the election should be
cancelled.
“The process is completely tainted and
going forward with that will lead to an
outcome that will not be beneficial to the
party.”

Earlier, as counting of votes was going
on, one of the aspirants, Babatunde
Gbadamosi, kept shouting “fraud, fraud,
shameless fraud”.
There was a fierce war of words inside
the venue of the primaries. Earlier, it
was announced that a total of 806
delegates would vote. But at the end of
sorting of votes, the figure rose to 863.
Mr. Gbadamosi said that the election was
“concluded” before it even started.
“From start to finish, there was
intimidation, tear gassing of delegates.”
The head of the election committee
however said: “We have to count the
votes first. Then after we discuss this
issue.
“Election has taken place. So counting
must take place. You can’t stop the
counting. We can sort it out later.” 




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