The National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may have finally accepted the outcome of Tuesday’s governorship primary in Lagos state, putting to rest, the controversy surrounding the exercise.
The Chairman of the Lagos State APC Governorship Primary, Mr. Clement Ebiri, addressed the press on Wednesday to formally uphold the result earlier released by the Lagos state Chairman of the Party.
Ebiri said that the incumbent Governor Akinwumi Ambode scored 72,901 votes to drop out of the race, while Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu scored 970,851 votes to clinch the APC ticket for the 2019 governorship election.
He therefore, declared Sawon-Olu winner of the primary.
Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday praised the leadership of APC and the defeated governor of Lagos for a free and fair conduct of the primary.
He also thanked members of the party and also the general public, including non-Lagos people for their continued support.
Sanwo-Olu promised to be fair and relate with everyone, irrespective the divide to move the state forward.
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had earlier declared Mr Sanwo-Olu as winner of Tuesday’s governorship primary.
This was contrary to the position of the Clement Ebiri-led panel, which had earlier declared the election that produced Sanwo-Olu as winner as a nullity.
Ebiri had said that the primary would be rescheduled as the state chapter has no power to conduct the party governorship primary election on its own.
However, the Lagos State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, had announced Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the primary.
Announcing the results to newsmen in Ikeja, Balogun said that Sanwo-Olu polled 970, 851 votes to defeat Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, who polled 72, 901 votes.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the announcement was in contrast of the pronouncement of the electoral panel which had declared that election did not hold in Lagos.
NAN reports that both parties had on Monday, at a meeting, disagreed on the pattern of primary to adopt without reaching a consensus.
Balogun thanked party members for coming out en masse to participate in the primary, saying that their participation reflected their belief in democracy.
“I am aware that conflicting information has been circulating on our primary election, but I must tell you that the election was held and it was free and fair.
“It would be very painful to disenfranchise the over 1.5 million members who voted across the 245 wards in the state.
“At the end of the exercise, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu polled 970, 851 votes and Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode scored 72, 901 votes. With this, Mr Babajide is declared winner.
“I thank party members for participating in the election and their dedication to democracy,” he said.
