Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, on Saturday emerged winner in his ward, Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of the state, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary.
Announcing the result of the direct primary at St. Peters Primary School, ward 001, Iragbiji, Mr Samson Oyebade, the electoral officer, said Oyetola scored 1,612 votes, to beat two other aspirants, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, and Lasun Yusuf, who scored no vote.
But Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, who was absent at his Ifofin Ward 8, Ilesa East Local Government, lost there.
Oyetola won by 309 votes against 146 recorded for Moshood Adeoti, the candidate supported by Aregbesola.
He said 2,053 party members were accredited for the exercise, adding that only 1,612 party members cast their votes for the governor.
In his remarks, the governor said he was not surprised that he won in his ward.
Oyetola, who described the exercise as a family affairs, said the primary was not expected to be a battle field.
He also urged party members to brace up for the challenges ahead.
“I want my fellow aspirants to see this exercise as a family affair and not a battle field.
“Because God is always in control, there is no violence in the state, although violence is not expected.
“I dot not know why the agents of other aspirants are not here but we should all brace up for the challenges ahead and create opportunity for reconciliation,” he said.
The governor described the turnout of the party members for the exercise as meaningful and impressive.
“I thank God that we were able to do it peacefully.
“All the members of the party have the opportunity to decide who will carry the flag of the party.
“I want to appeal to all our people all over the state to please maintain peace.
“This election process should not be a battle field. It should not be a do or die affair. There should be no violence.
“Let everybody have the opportunity of participating in his choice of who should be the candidate of our party.
“I think that is the process and I think it has gone very well, contrary to the speculation,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three aspirants for the primary are Gov. Oyetola; former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, and Mr Lasun Yusuf, former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives.
The APC Chairman in the state, Mr Gboyega Famodun, said the primary would take place in 332 wards across the 30 local government areas of the state.
Speaking with our correspondent, factional chairman of APC in the ward, Adegoke Saheed, alleged manipulation.
He also confirmed absence of Aregbesola from the exercise.
He said, “We concluded (voting) but it is unfortunate that the process did not go smoothly. They brought a party register that was not the original. I supervised the registration and I told those that brought the register that it was not the original.
“So people that are supporting us, we could not find their names in the register. I told them the list has been doctored but they did not listen to me. When they wanted to count, they said those that voted for Oyetola are over 300 and when they counted those that voted for us up to 146, they disrupted the exercise and said they should not count again.
“They didn’t bring the result sheet. They just pack their papers and ran away. This is ward of Hon Minister, Rauf Aregbesola. I was told when I asked about his whereabouts that Ogbeni went on official assignment. He was not around.”
