Babatunde Gbadamosi emerged candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State chapter, for the Lagos East senatoral district, on Saturday after defeating three other candidates.
In the result announced by a representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tunde Oyebade, around 7:00 pm, Gbadamosi won a landslide victory with 529 votes to defeat Princess Saidat Odofin Fafowora 59 votes, Olanrewaju Moshood Babatunde scored 21 votes, and Princess Abiodun Oyefusi took the rear with seven votes.
14 votes were voided.
Before voting began, the delegates were told not to write only Babatunde or Princess on their ballot paper as both male aspirants have Babatunde as their first name and the two femal candidates also go by the name Princess.
Voting started around 12:00 and ended around 5:30 pm and sorting of votes started by 6:00 pm.
Alebiosu Sikiru Adekoya won the Kosofe II state constituency primary held at state constituency.
Lagos East comprises five local government areas, Shomolu, Kosofe, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe and Ikorodu.
A breakdown of the voting process showed that atotal of 110 delegates were accredited from Shomolu local government area of which 109 voted, 95 delegates accredited from Kosofe local government, 94 voted, Ibeju-Lekki 88 accredited, 88 voted, Epe 173 accredited, 173 voted, while in Ikorodu, 162 accredited and 162 voted.
Babatunde, a businessman, contested for the party’s nomination to run as candidate for Governor of Lagos State in 2011 and again In 2015.
He joined the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in 2017, from where he contested again foregovernor in 2019 and came in the second runner up. He rejoined the PDP in March 2020.
Gbadamosi said he did not decamp to the ADP in 2017 sinc he resigned from politics.
He said, ‘when I initially left the PDP in 2015, I resigned from politics, it is not as if I left for another party. Now that I’m back, I hope they will trust me because I am here to make a change in the process of governance not just in Lagos PDP but Nigeria in general.’
In the Kosofe II state constituency, Alebiosu Sikiru Adekoya defeated Aroyewun Segun with 31 to 24 votes.
Eight delegates each were accredited from each of the six wards plus three statutory delegates that also voted.
Speaking on behalf of the five-member senatorial primary pommittee, its chairman, Ndidi Okereke described the primary as very peaceful. He commended the aspirants, members of the party and the security agencies for their cordial comportment.
Other members of the committee include, Dr Awaj-Imomba Abiante, who is the secretary, and Mrs Mobolaji Lamoye, Adeyeni Sunday Wobu-Ezi and Mr. Kingsley Wobu-Ezi, members.
The Chairman of the primary applal Committee, Emeka Nwachukwu, said the role of his committee is to observe.
He said, ‘we are here on observer status to monitor what is going on so that when appeals come up, we will not be strangers to the situation.’
