Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti

Immediate past Governor of Ekiti State and current Minister of Mines, Solid minerals and Steel Development, John Kayode Fayemi, has defeated the much vaunted Southern agenda of the July 14 governorship election in the All Progressive Congress (APC) by coasting home in victory with 941 votes out of 2,316 accredited votes of the delegates.

Official figure had been 2,618, while total number of accredited delegates is 2,327, and votes voided 11.

Another former governor of the state, and former Deputy National Chairman of the APC, South Nigeria, Segun Oni, emerged second runner up to Fayemi with 481 votes, while a new comer to the race, Olubunmi Kayode Ojo, emerged third with 281 votes.

Former Speaker of the State House of Assembly during incumbent Governor Ayo Fayose’s first tenure, Bamisile Richards Olufemi, came fourth with 179 votes.

14 aspirants had emerged from Ekiti South Senatorial districts to express strongly the agitation for the southern agenda by that district which had not produced a governor since the inception of the state in 1996.

Bimbo Daramola, ex-member of the House of Representatives, and current Chief of Staff to Speaker of the House of Representatives, poled 28 votes.

Another member of the House of Representatives, Bamidele Faparusi, polled 23 votes.

Former Deputy Senate whip, Senator Gbenga Aluko, polled 86, while Senator Ayo Arise, who had defeated from the PDP, polled 2.

Opeyemi Bamidele, also a former member of the House of Representatives, polled 8 votes.

Despite stepping down barely 24 hours to the exercise, Special Adviser on Political Affairs to President MUhammadu Buhari, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, polled 10. His results was announced because the primary committee had yet to receive his notification of quitting the race Saturday evening.

The party’s primary had begun at about 8 a.m. on Saturday, with accreditation of delegates lasting till 12:25 p.m., while voting began at 1:06 p.m.

Voting ended at 4:14 p.m., with sorting of delegates beginning at 4:57 p.m., and lasting till 8:53 p.m.

Vote counting began at 8:55 p.m. and lasted till 10:45 p.m.