A former senior journalist with THISDAY newspaper, Hon. Kayode Abdulwahab has emerged governorship candidate of a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state.
AbdulWahab, a former Majority Leader at Kwara State House of Assembly polled 891 votes to beat other 12 contestants for the APC governorship ticket.
A total number of 1007 delegates participated in the governorship primary held at the factional state party secretariat, Onikanga road, GRA, Ilorin.
The returning officer for the primary, Hon. Christoper Ayeni, announced that Alhaji Seriki Yahaya scored 16 votes, Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq 3, Waziri Garba Gobir 2, Alhaji Hakeem Oladimeji Lawal 27, Alhaji Lukman Mustapha 11, Alhaji Mashood Mustapha 5, Mallam Modibo Kawu 2, Mohammed Belgore, SAN, 6, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem 5, Mallam Saliu Mustapha 12 , Alhaji Yaman Abdullahi 7 and Alhaji Tajudeen Audu Makama 4.
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He said that there were 12 invalid votes.
The returning officer for the primary, thereafter, declared Alhaji Kayode Abdulwahab winner of the peaceful primary amidst jubilation from party supporters and admirers.
However, the Bashir Bolarinwa faction of the party has distanced itself from the Sunday primary, describing it as a feast.
Speaking at the event, the factional APC chairman in the state, Hon. Ishola Balogun-Fulani said that the party is the winning party in the state.
“It is our own congress and primaries that will be approved because we are the authentic APC and we have the legal and constitutional backing.
“Following directive of the national leadership of the APC to all states chapters of the party, except Lagos and Imo state, that we should conduct the governorship primary today, Sunday, that’s why we are conducting our primaries today (yesterday).
“Court has given us the injunction to operate as an authentic executive and the injunction is with the INEC and the party and they will have to obey legal pronouncement. The other executive parading themselves illegally can’t even select anyone yet as their differences mount daily”, Balogun- Fulani declared.
In his acceptance speech, the APC governorship candidate, Kayode AbdulWahab thanked the delegates, promising not to betray the confidence reposed in him.
He praised the leadership of the party in the state for providing a level playing ground for all the aspirants that participated in the primary.
AbdulWahab expressed optimism that his party would emerge victorious in next year’s governorship election in the state ” because we were able to organise a rancour-free primary, which result was acceptable to all aspirants. ”
However, the Bashir Bolarinwa faction of the party has distanced itself from the Sunday primary, describing it as a feast.
A statement signed by Bolarinwa, and made available to journalists in Ilorin on Sunday said that, “it is illogical for anyone who knows, as an authentic member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State today to participate in any gathering termed APC primaries when the outcome of the last screening exercise is yet to be out.
Let it be stated for the umpteenth time, that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has not released outcomes of the screening done for all our aspirants. The timetable for our primaries is equally not out yet.
The gathering of some loyalists of Dr Saraki in one corner of GRA, Ilorin today was nothing but a feast for his political supporters.
and then