Protests as Jimi Agbaje Wins PDP Gubernatorial Ticket for Lagos

Jimi Agbaje was on Monday night declared the winner of the Lagos PDP governorship primaries in Lagos amid protests.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protests followed a difference in the number of delegates that voted and the number of votes cast.

The Chairman of the PDP Governorship Committee for Lagos State, Senator Umar Kumo, announced 863 as the number of votes cast as against 806 delegates that voted, sparking protests.

Attempts by some of the supporters of the other aspirants to stop the vote count and cancel the primaries were, however, unsuccessful.

Senator Musliu Obanikoro, an aspirant, walked out of the venue when the committee was unable to explain the difference in numbers.

Announcing Agbaje as the winner, Kumo said he had 432 votes to clinch the ticket, while Obanikoro had 343 votes.

NAN reports that the only female aspirant in the contest, Modupe Chukwuneke stepped down shortly before the voting started.

Among the other aspirants, Adedeji Doherty got 21 votes, Tokumboh Kamson had 46 and Babatunde Gbadamosi, 21 votes.

Speaking with newsmen, Agbaje promised to carry all the aspirants along.

He also commended the committee over the conduct of the elections.

However, Obanikoro told newsmen later that he would appeal the outcome of the election, which he described as a sham.

He said that the difference in the number of delegates and the votes cast must be explained.

The aspirant alleged that the result was predetermined and called for its cancellation.

Gbadamosi, another aspirant, also said the election was a sham.