Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede( SAN) has emerged winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in the state.
The immediate past commissioner for justice was declared winner of the party’s primary after garnering 760 votes to defeat the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the PDP in the 2012 governorship election, Hon. Saka Lawal who polled a mere 22 votes.
The results was announced by Chairman of the PDP Primary Election Committee for Ondo State and the Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson on Monday.
The primary election, which started with the accreditation of voters, took off at exactly 8:00am and was duly monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The primaries also attracted local and international observers, the press and security agencies to the State.
The voting commenced after all the delegates, who conducted themselves in an orderly manner, had been accredited, collation and the counting of votes followed immediately.
Saka, who addressed the delegates before the commencement of the voting, said he has taken a strong decision to remain in the mainstream of the party, he assured that all leaders and members who have left party for the opposition parties will return, adding that he will build on existing legacies of Governor Olusegun Mimiko if he is given the opportunity to fly the flag of PDP.
“I want to assure you that Saka Lawal will not leave PDP,” he said.
Also speaking, Eyitayo Jegede promised he will focus on the economy if he emerges the party’s flagbearer as that is the only way out of the non-payment of workers’ salaries.
While announcing the results, Dickson, said that 713 delegates were accredited for the primaries from a total delegates’ list of 840, adding that there were no invalid votes.
He commended the aspirants, delegates and other members of the party for their commitment to the unity of the party.
According to the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon Banji Okunomo, the accredited delegates include 3 Ad-hoc delegates per ward elected on the 18th of August in the 203 wards of the State in addition to the delegates that are “automatic” by virtue of the positions they occupy presently or in the past in compliance with the provisions of the PDP Constitution.
