BREAKING: Lagos PDP elects new executive despite restraining court order

Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, elected Engineer Deji Doherty as chairman of the party, in a peaceful election, under the supervision of three-man team of the party sent by the National Working Committee (NWC) and led by Senator Ben Obi, as chairman.

Other members of the three man committee included, Muktar Ahmed, as secretary and Senator Biodun Olujimi, member, who was unavoidably absent, because she was engaged with her swearing in ceremony on Wednesday at the Senate, having gotten Appeal Court judgement in her favour.

According to Senator Obi, the election had 68 delegates approved by NWC of the party but only 45 delegates voted at the election which took place at L’eola Hotel, Maryland.

The election was conducted despite a court injunction, restraining the party from filling the vacant positions.

But in defiance of the court injunction, the party explained that the election was conducted for the purpose of filing eight State vacant positions and two Local government chairmen positions.

The party started with accreditation of delegates, and supervised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), where three candidates contested for the position of chairman, with Doherty garnering 27 votes to emerge winner.

Omotanwa Kudirat, who came second, scored 21 votes, while Adejumo Ajegbe was disqualified for failure to have resigned his position as Assistant State Vice- Chairman, Lagos West Senatorial Zone, seven days before the election.

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Other positions contested for, included, vice chairman central senatorial district, State Organizing Secretary, Assistant State Organizing Secretary, State Legal Adviser, Assistant State Legal Adviser, Assistant State Secretary, Assistant State Publicity Secretary and chairmen for Apapa and Badagry Local Government Areas (LGAs).

Three positions including, State legal Adviser, Assistant State legal Adviser and Assistant State Organizing Secretary were contested by Muyideen Tejumade, Olalekan Akeem and Adeniyi Ademola Rotimi respective and were all unanimously returned elected.

Other winners at the election included Akojemu Bidemi Florence for chairman Badagry LGA, who scored 38 votes, Kolawole Mike, for Apapa LGA (41 votes), Amode Akeem for State Organizing Secretary (34 votes), Showole Olusegun Jubril, Vice Chairman Central Senatorial District (34 votes), Assistant State Secretary, Olayinka Dada (37 votes).

Obi while speaking urged every party member to give the new executive the needed support even though he said that it was possible for majority of the people to be on the same pedestal.

According to him, it was a beginning of a journey for those who had won, saying they should not undermine other contestants.

Doherty on his part said that with the new executive in place, it was a new beginning and a new chapter in the history of Lagos PDP, appealing to all members to roll up their sleeves for work towards 2023.