By Alaba Ajibade – The Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Kolapo Olusola-Eleka has emerged winner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election.
Reports say a total of 1,968 delegates were accredited and voted at the primary poll.
Mr. Olusola-Eleka, a professor of Building polled a total of 1,190 votes to defeat his closest rival and former minister of works, Dayo Adeyeye, who scored 771 votes.
Over 2600 delegates from 16 local government areas took part in the PDP primary. Seven of the votes were declared invalid by the electoral committee.
The Senate’s deputy minority whip and former deputy governor, Abiodun Olujimi who was the third aspirant stepped down for Mr Adeyeye, shortly before the elections.
Chairman of PDP electoral committee in the Ekiti primary and Governor of Delta State. Ifeanyi Okowa described the election was peaceful, free and transparent. Both aspirants also commended the process.
Mr. Adeyeye, who left the venue at about 8p.m, accepted the outcome of the primary election, which he agreed was conducted under free and fair atmosphere.
In his acceptance speech, the newly voted PDP candidate expressed gratitude to Mr Dayo Adeyeye for exhibiting high sense of courage throughout the period the pre-primary election.
The deputy governor, who praised Gov. Ayo Fayose for standing by him, vowed to defeat the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming July 14 governorship election in the state.
Also reacting, Mr. Fayose promised to embark on meaningful reconciliation by reaching out to aggrieved party leaders, especially the duo of Mr. Adeyeye and Mrs Olujimi, so that the PDP in the state can be a united house once again.
