•Obanikoro: describes Agbaje’s election as a sham

Former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro has rejected the result of the Lagos PDP governorship primaries.

At the governorship primaries which was held at Yard 158, Plot 34 Oregun Road, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, Jimi Agbaje polled 432 votes to defeat Obanikoro who scored 343 votes, while Adedeji Doherty and Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi polled 21 votes respectively, according to the chairman of the electoral panel, Senator Umar Kumo.

Obanikoro at a press conference held at his Ikeja GRA campaign office few minutes after the primaries, described the exercise as a sham.

“The whole electoral exercise was a sham, I have never seen an election where ballot papers are counted before sorting,” he said

He was referring to the incident during the polling where the total number of votes cast, 863, was higher than the total number of accredited delegates, 806. He claimed that the result was predetermined and called for its cancellation.

Obanikoro who vowed not to relent until justice is done said, “We will fight it and ensure that the right thing is done.”

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

•Jimi Agbaje: election tainted

There was protest too at the venue of the primary election following the discovery of the discrepancy in the number of accredited delegates and the votes cast.

After an attempt by some of the supporters of the other aspirants to stop the vote count and cancel the primaries were, unsuccessful, Obanikoro, an aspirant, walked out of the venue when the committee was unable to explain the difference in numbers.

The only female aspirant in the contest, Dr Modupe Chukwuneke stepped down shortly before the voting started.

Speaking with newsmen, Agbaje promised to carry all the aspirants along. He also commended the committee over the conduct of the elections.