Governor of Osun, Gboyega Oyetola, has emerged winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in his ward, Iragbiji, Boripe LGA.
Announcing the result of the direct primary at St. Peters Primary School, ward 001, Iragbiji, Samson Oyebade, electoral officer, said Oyetola scored 1,612 votes to beat two other aspirants, Moshood Adeoti and Lasun Yusuf, who had no votes.
He said although 2,053 party members were accredited, only 1,612 participated in the poll.
In his remarks, Oyetola said he was not surprised with the victory in his ward, appealing to all aspirants to maintain peace throughout the exercise.
“This is my ward, and I don’t expect anything less,” he said.
“I want to appeal to our people all over the place to please, maintain peace. This election process should not be a battlefield; it shouldn’t be a do-or-die affair. There shouldn’t be violence. Let everyone have the opportunity to participate in the choice of who should be the candidate of our party.
“I think it has gone very well contrary to the speculations of violence.
“Why should there be violence? Why should the question of picking a candidate be a matter of violence? I don’t see the basis for it.”
The governor also used the opportunity to call for reconciliation within the party.
“We should brace up for the challenge ahead. We are going to face another party whose candidate we don’t know yet. I want to appeal to us to ensure that we have an opportunity for reconciliation,” he said.
Osun APC has been splintered into two factions. One faction pledged loyalty to Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, while the other belonged to the camp of Gboyega Oyetola, governor of the state.
Also, some aggrieved members of the party who are loyal to Moshood Adeoti, an aspirant, alleged removal of their names from the party’s register in the ongoing governorship primary.
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