By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been declared winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election with 1170 votes.
At the exercise that held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, 1,225 state delegates were expected from 245 wards; five delegates per ward, in 20 statutory Local Government Areas of the state.
But at the end of the exercise only 1, 198 were officially accredited, 1,182 votes cast while 12 invalid votes were recorded.
The chairman, Lagos State Governorship Primary Election Committee of the party, Adamu Shettima Yuguda, while declaring Sanwo-Olu winner, said the exercise was transparent as three contestants declared interest in gubernatorial primary elections but only one aspirant was cleared by the screening committee.
Congratulating the incumbent governor on his victory at the primary election, Yuguda, explained that two aspirants in the exercise which were Olawale Oluwo and AbdulAhmed Mustapha were prevented from participating in the exercise because they were disqualified by the screening committee, and appeal committee.
Reacting to winning his party’s candidature, Governor Sanwo-Olu who thanked all delegates and party members for deeming him worthy, described it as an affirmation of the confidence reposed in him.
Promising not to let them and the entire residents of Lagos down, the governor assured that he would continue the good work his administration had been doing in the state and do a lot more, by taking the State to greater heights.
The governor thanked all those who made the process of the party’s primary a success, thanking all the party leaders, members and delegates for believing in him and his deputy to be put forward again to contest.
Sanwo-Olu said the decision to put him forward is a promise to do bigger things for Lagos residents and he and his team would not fail but double up their efforts.
The exercise was held amid tight security at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, formerly, Onikan Stadium,Lagos Island.
The security personnel on ground comprised of men of Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, Lagos State Neighborhood and Safety Corps, as of 12. 50pm, only one governirship aspirant out of the three was present in person of Sanwo-Olu.
