Kunle ADELABU
-Emerges victorious in 19 wards
Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the sole challenger of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the gubernatorial ticket of the All progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, was massively voted for across the six Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Ikorodu division during the party’s primary election that took place on Tuesday(yesterday).
While Sanwo-Olu Polled 20, 789 Votes, the incumbent governor, Ambode polled 1596 votes
The election went peacefully and orderly in voting centres visited by our reporter while the reports gathered indicated that the election was also peaceful at other centres across Ikorodu division.
The issuance of election materials to the electoral officers had commenced when our reporter get to the Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat hall, the collation centre for the primary election, at 9am.
The electoral officers arrived the Adeniran Ogunsanya venue of the election for Ward E and F at 9.30am. At Ikorodu Central Mosque Praying Ground, accreditation started at 10.19am and voting commenced at 12.34am.
Accreditation in most centres did not commence until around 11am due to disagreement over the modalities for the election.
At the Adeniran Ogunsanya venue of the exercise, argument ensued over the modalities when some party members that do not have the party’s permanent card insisted on voting.The argument also involved some party chieftains.
While Princess Adenrele Ogunsanya, former Secretary to the Lagos State Government, was of the opinion that members with slips should be allowed to vote, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly and Prince Lanre Balogun, former Commissioner Commerce and Industry, maintained that the party’s membership card is the only valid document for the exercise as directed by the party.
“You have to allow everybody to vote. The party has stated that they (members) can vote with their slips. Why are you preventing them from voting? You cannot. Everybody must be allowed into the compound to vote”, Princess Ogunsanya said while expressing her view on the modalities for the election.
“The directive issued by the party is that only the membership card of our party is tenable for the exercise”, said Hon. Agunbiade.
He thanked party members for conducting their affairs in good manner while voting for the aspirant of their choice.
Prince Balogun, while also commenting, stated that it is only the membership card that can be used for the voting exercise and that nobody can change the party’s directive.
“We cannot allow anyone without the party’s membership card to vote against the party’s directive. It is only those with membership card that are entitled to vote according to the party’s directive and this does not mean that those without membership card are not party members, only that they cannot partake in this exercise”.
He added that the whole thing is a party affair which would be treated as such.
Speaking with THE IMPACT after the voting exercise, former APC Chairman in Ikorodu Local Government, Alhaji Rilwan Jinadu, stated that the election went well in Ward E and F.
“We have concluded the election in Ward E and F and members have voted for the aspirant of their choice which is Sanwo-Olu. We have once again demonstrated our leadership position in Ikorodu.
At around 2pm when our reporters returned to the collation centre at the Ikorodu Local Government, returning officers across the division have started trooping in to submit their results for collation.
Barr. Williams Kunle Stone, the Returning Officer for Ikorodu Local Government, announced the results across the 19 wards where the election took place in Ikorodu Local Government.
While declaring the result, the Returning Officer stated that he was satisfied with the process in Ikorodu
“ikorodu generally is peaceful as far as the conduct of thi8s election is concerned. Everything went well. There was no problem” the returning officer affirmed after the release of the results
At Cele 1, Sanwo-Olu polled 346, while Ambode got 76 votes; Cele 2: Sanwo-Olu 2,660, Ambode 2; Cele 3: Sanwo-Olu 680, Ambode 52.
Aga/Ijomu, Sanwo-Olu received 1, 202 votes to Ambode’s 19, while at Ipakodo, Sanwo-Olu scored 7,544 votes to Ambode’s 137.
Results from Imota 1 as announced by the Returning Officer revealed that Sanwo-Olu polled 1,933 votes to Ambode’s 439 votes, while in Imota 2, Sanwo-Olu scored 2,457 votes to Ambode’s 391 votes.
The results were not different in all the centres in Igbogbo as Sanwo Olu triumphed. In Igbogbo 1, Sanwo-Olu polled 258 votes to Ambode’s 25 votes; Igbogbo 2: Sanwo-Olu polled 480 votes while Ambode scored 39 votes and in Igbogbo 3, Sanwo-Olu scored 234 votes and Ambode recorded 16 votes.
At Ibeshe, the returning officer announced 387 votes for Sanwo-Olu while Ambode polled 81 votes.
At Ijede 1, Sanwo-Olu had 467 votes while Ambode had 29 votes while at Ijede 2, Sanwo-Olu polled 308 votes while Ambode got 35 votes.
At Odogunyan, Sanwo-Olu polled 315 votes to defeat the incumbent who scored 57 votes.
The APC returning officer for Ikorodu LG announced 222 votes for Sanwo-Olu at Erikorodo while Ambode polled 18 votes.
At Agbala, Sanwo-Olu recorded 300 votes and Ambode had 27 votes while at Olorunda, Sanwo-Olu polled 388 votes and Ambode got 88 votes.
Speaking on the election, Hon Wasiu Adesina, Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, described the election as peaceful.
“Generally, the election was peaceful. I was at Agura, Aga/Ijomu, Ward A and this place (Council Secretariat) is another venue and the conducts have been very peaceful. I have also spoken with my colleagues in other councils in Ikorodu division and their responses have also been very cheerful.
“You can see for yourself that we have adequate police in all the election venues and party members were conducting their affairs in proper manner”.
Speaking on the modalities for the election, Hon. Adesina stated:
“The position of the party regarding the election modalities is that only the membership card can be used. I was at the venue where the issue came up and I made it clear that the directive of the party strictly stated that only members with membership card should be allowed to partake in the process and that was what happened.
Hon. Taiwo Longe, APC Chairman in Ikorodu LG, while commenting on the election stated:
“There is a large turn-out in all the wards that I have been to. People were being accredited and thereafter, allowed to vote for the aspirant of their choice. I covered Agura, Aga/Ijomu and this one (Ita-Elewa centre) and they are all peaceful.
He also confirmed that only the party’s membership card can be allowed for voting.
“The position of the party is that you can only be accredited and allowed to vote with your permanent membership card. It was clearly stated and the message was passed to everybody. Nobody can do otherwise”, he stated.
Hon Lanre Sunmi Odesanya, former Commissioner I, Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission and the agent of Sanwo-Olu in Cele I, said:
“The turn-out was massive, notwithstanding the fact that we have to shift the primary twice. Party faithful stood firm, endured and comported themselves. The election was peaceful everywhere. The exercise was overwhelming. At my own centre where I stood-in as agent, Sanwo-Olu polled 346 against Ambode’s 76 votes.
“The fact speaks for itself. Victory is sure for Jide Sanwo-Olu”, he said boastfully.
In his own reaction, Hon Wasiu Kunle Agoro, Chairman, Imota LCDA, stated:
“The election was peaceful. It went well and our people came out to vote for the aspirant of their choice. The only thing is that Babajide Sanwo-Olu had a landslide in my council.
“The officials came in time and allowed those eligible to be accredited and vote while their votes counted. The whole exercise was done within time. There is no doubt about the exercise. It’s Sanwo-Olu all the way. It’s going to be a landslide victory”, Hon. Agoro stated.
The Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, Hon. Adeola Banjo, stated:
“We actually used the old 20 local governments for the purpose of this election and here in Ikorodu division, it was done based on the old Ikorodu LG and 19 wards. I have five wards in my own domain which were delivered to Sanwo-Olu who is the choice of the party”, he stated.
He also described the election as peaceful.
Hon Salisu Fathiu, Chairman, Ijede LCDA, while commenting on the conduct of the exercise in his council, said:
“Ijede LCDA gubernatorial primary election went fine. The people came out and voted for the aspirant of their choice. There was no problem as security personnel were on ground. We appreciate the security personnel and our party members for the peaceful conduct”, he stated.
Meanwhile, some party members also kicked against the conduct of the exercise.
According to one Mrs Oluwo Olawale, she stated that she was prevented from voting for the aspirant of her choice.
“I had wanted to vote for Gov. Ambode but I was not allowed to vote. Why should that be?”, she queried.
Another party member, Mr Gbenga, alleged that, “The whole exercise was pre-planned. They had already concluded plans on who is going to emerge as the party’s candidate.This exercise is nothing but a charade”.
