APC Primary: Stalemate In Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency, As Former Oyo Assembly Chief Whip Claims Victory

The primary election of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to pick the party’s representative for the House of Representatives election next year in Lagelu/Akinyele federal constituency ended stalemate on Friday as the three aspirants scored the same number of votes.

While announcing the result of the primary election, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mr. Ayobami Tirimisiyu, announced that Hassan Olawale Giwa, scored 31 votes, Olasupo Philips David, 31 votes, Adeyemo Modinat Temitope, 31 and Akinmoyede Lafisoye Wasiu, who had gone to stage a parallel primary, 0 vote. While 4 votes were void.

Tirimisiyu further announced that the number of delegates are 130, while the total number of votes cast were 97.

Speaking on the development, a leader of the party in Lagelu Local Government, Honourable Remi Adebayo, described the outcome of the election as healthy for internal democracy, stating that the aspirants involved will go back and rejig ahead of a fresh election which will come up as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, according to the outcome of another primary election held at Lalupon, Lafisoye Akinmoyede polled 92 votes out of 97 total votes cast to defeat Hazzan Olawale Giwa, who scored 1 vote, Olasupo Phillips David polled 1 vote while Adeyemo Modinat Temitope scored zero, while three votes were voided.

In his acceptance speech, Hon. Lafisoýe expressed his appreciation to all the leaders and delegates of the party for their support and confidence they reposed in him, promising to justify that confidence if elected.

Reacting to another primary election, held elsewhere in which a former Chief Whip of the Oyo State House of Assembly emerged victorious, Adebayo described it as an excuse by the lawmaker to save himself from humilation.

Adebayo said:”The primary election was supposed to be among four aspirants, and it was supposed be held at an agreed venue, and only one aspirant, Lafisoye Akinmoyede, out of four went on to organise another one at his own backyard and he declared himself winner, what do we call that? It is nothing but a charade.

“We had our primary election and the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sent a representative, Mr. Akinremi Ademola, to monitor proceedings. Security operatives were also on hand to ensure law and order, party leaders and members were also not left out as they were there to perform their role as mediators and most importantly, the delegates were there to vote the aspirant of their choice without fear or intimidation, it was only unfotunate that the result came out stalemate.

“If there is any other primary election for the House of Representatives in Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency except the one we had at Islamic mission school Moniya, then it is illegal, null and void.”