Ondo Guber: Former Ondo Attorney-general, Jegede Emerges Pdp Candidate

BEVERLY HILLS, August 22, (THEWILL) – The immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo state, Eyitayo Jegede SAN has been declared the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship primary election in the state, after polling 760 votes to defeat the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the PDP in the 2012 governorship election, Hon. Saka Lawal.

Announcing the results of the primaries at the International Cultural and Event Centre (The Dome), Akure, on Monday, Chairman of the PDP Primary Election Committee for Ondo State, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, said Eyitayo won the PDP primary election by polling a total of 760 votes to defeat his main opponent Saka Lawal, who polled a total of 22 votes to come second.

The primary election, which started with the accreditation of voters, took off at exactly 8am and was duly monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, attracted local and international observers, the press, as well as security operatives in the state. Voting commenced after all the delegates had been accredited, with collation and the counting of votes following immediately.

Saka, who addressed the delegates before the commencement of the voting, said he has taken a strong decision to remain in the mainstream of the party, assuring that all leaders and members who have left party for the opposition parties will return.

While promising to build on existing legacies of Governor Olusegun Mimiko if he is given the opportunity to fly the flag of PDP, he stressed that he will remain committed to the progress of the party and that the party will emerge in the forthcoming governorship poll in the state.

Also speaking, Eyitayo Jegede promised he will focus on the economy if he emerges the party's flagbearer as that is the only way out of the non-payment of workers' salaries.

While announcing the results, Dickson, said that 713 delegates were accredited for the primaries from a total delegates' list of 840, adding that there were no invalid votes. He commended the aspirants, delegates and other members of the party for their commitment to the unity of the party.

According to the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon Banji Okunomo, the accredited delegates include three Ad-hoc delegates per ward elected on the 18th of August in the 203 wards of the State in addition to the delegates that are “automatic” by virtue of the positions they occupy presently or in the past in compliance with the provisions of the PDP Constitution.