Governor Dapo Abiodun on Monday emerged as the All Progressives Congress senatorial candidate for Ogun East Senatorial District after winning the party’s primary election held across the state.
The exercise, which took place across the 236 wards in Ogun State, was conducted peacefully and orderly, contrary to allegations of planned violence raised earlier by one of the aspirants, Senator Gbenga Daniel, who withdrew from the race hours before the primary.
Party members turned out in large numbers at designated collation centres across the three senatorial districts to participate in the direct primary exercise.
In Ogun East, Abiodun emerged victorious as the sole contestant after Daniel stepped down from the contest over what he described as perceived hostility.
However, the governor dismissed the allegation while speaking after voting at Ward 3, Iperu, in Ikenne Local Government Area, insisting that the process remained peaceful, transparent and credible across the state.
Abiodun, who secured 810 votes out of the 812 accredited party members in his ward, said there was no record of violence during the exercise.
“I want to debunk the perception some people are trying to create. Someone claimed that he withdrew from the race because of perceived or planned violence.
“We had an election here on Saturday. Even though it started a bit late, I monitored the exercise across the 236 wards in the state and the 103 wards in Ogun East.
“I did not hear that anybody stepped on anyone’s toes. The process was free, fair, and transparent. It was an election, not an affirmation,” he said.
The governor added that aspirants stepping down from contests was not unusual in politics, describing such decisions as voluntary and noble.
“This morning, I received text messages from aspirants in Ogun West saying they were no longer contesting. Last night, I also received multiple messages from aspirants in Ogun Central stepping down for another aspirant, and none of them claimed it was because of perceived or planned violence.
“So, if an aspirant in Ogun East steps down, we will clap for him, applaud him, and consider it a noble gesture,” he added.
Abiodun further stated that the prevailing peace across the state reflected the stability his administration had sustained over the years.
“Today, everybody in Ogun State is going about their normal activities peacefully,” he stated.
The primary election was also conducted peacefully in Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts.
In Ogun Central, Senator Shuaib Salisu emerged as the consensus candidate, while in Ogun West, former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Jimoh Olusola Odugbele, won the party’s ticket amid massive support from party members.
In Remo North Local Government Area, party leaders and members commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise across the wards.
Results announced in some wards showed Abiodun recording overwhelming victories over Daniel.
At Ward 9, Ode Remo, the Presiding Officer, Mr. Opeyemi Odunsi, declared that Abiodun polled 1,116 votes, while Daniel recorded zero vote.
Similarly, in Ward 10, the governor secured 714 votes against Daniel’s zero vote, while in Ward 2, Isara, Abiodun polled 532 votes as Daniel again failed to secure any vote.
Speaking while announcing the result at Ward 3, APC representative, Prince Waheed Adedotun, disclosed that out of the 837 registered party members in the ward, 812 were accredited, while Abiodun secured 810 votes.
He added that no other candidate was represented during the exercise as party members openly queued behind the governor.
