*my delegates chased out of election venue – Gbolarumi
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde was on Wednesday, declared winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in the state for the 2023 general elections
According to the returning officer for the primary election held at the Lekan Salami Stadium Ibadan, Senator Ben Obi who was represented by Alhaji Abdullahi MaiBasia Governor Makinde polled 1040 votes while his only opponent, Barrister Azeem Gbolarumi scored two votes.
His only opponent, a former deputy governor in the state, Barrister Azeem Gbolarumi who publicly said his delegates have been chased away of the Lekan Salami stadium venue of the governorship primaries polled 2 votes.
Announcing the results of the primary election, Alhaji MaiBasia, disclosed that Governor Makinde emerged as PDP governorship candidate in Oyo State for the 2023 general elections having polled the highest number of valid votes.
He declared that of the 1,048 votes casted by delegates during the primary election, six were voided leaving Governor Makinde scoring 1040 while Barrister Gbolarumi scored two votes
Speaking after winning the primary election, Governor Makinde while lauding PDP leaders, members and delegates across the 33 local government areas for believing in him and the leaders of the party in the state declared that 2023 is the time for PDP to save Nigeria
” 2023 is our time to save Nigerians, when they come to you tell them to compare the eight years of APC administration with just three years of PDP in this state, so PDP is coming at the Federal level,” he said.
The governor added that he is determined to keep all the promises he had made to the party and the people of the state, saying ” all the delegates have done well, few weeks back I announced that I would run for second term, I was overwhelmed from the positive feedback I received from the people, especially form all our delegates and winning here today, my emergence as the flag-bearer of our party, what more can I say, than to thank you all. I will say it again thank you for believing in me and the party.”
“Thank you all for trusting in me. Trust is like a building, and for a building to stand, it must have a solid foundation and this is the truth, I will keep all the promises I made to you.”
Speaking earlier when he was invited to address the delegates, Barrister Gbolarumi declared that all those left at the stadium were delegates of Governor Seyi Makinde as his own were chased out of the venue by suspected hoodlums and that his decision to contest the Oyo State PDP primary election was to further strengthen democracy in the state and to show that PDP is truly a democratic party.
“We are in the same party but I don’t want us to be divided. What we are doing is just formality. There is no reason for us to sit here and be contesting for the same post. We already have a leader in the state. No matter how small he is, he is our our leader in the state. I pray that this party won’t be divided.” he said
Barrister Gbolarumi added, ” I have always been a member of PDP and I have no intention of leaving the party. As an elder, I can only guide the party so it doesn’t go the wrong way. What is happening here today is what we call politics. It shows that the tenets of democracy stands in Oyo PDP. I urge our members to deviate from anything that will paint the party in a bad light.”
“Governor Seyi Makinde is our father. As a human, he is not perfect but let us be bold enough to say the truth to power no matter what the circumstances may be.”
Barrister Gbolarumi then raised Gov Makinde’s hands as he noted that Makinde is truly the leader and the party’s choice for the 2023 elections.”
