Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu is the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ondo State in November.
Akeredolu emerged winner of the APC primaries held yesterday in Akure, the state capital with 669 votes, while his closest rival, Dr. Olusegun Abraham got 635. Sola Oke scored 576 while Senator Ajayi Boroffice got 471.
Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State who headed the APC Electoral Committee that conducted the primaries announced the result.
He pleaded for the co-operation of all the aspirants who lost to Akeredolu.
He asked them to pacify their supporters so that the party can go into the election as a united front.
Abubakar said the APC is prepared more than ever before to assume control of the state from the PDP.
The primary election was generally orderly and peaceful except for a shootout between policemen and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) deployed to provide security at the venue.
Canisters of tear gas were also fired into the air as tension rose between the two sides.
Armed soldiers quickly stepped in and the situation was brought under control.
It was learnt that the clash was triggered by the refusal of an NSCDC official to allow a delegate into the hall after he had been checked by a police man.
In all 2700 delegates were accredited to vote in the primaries.
Security was tight all through with Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operation) Dan Bature monitoring the situation.
The process began with accreditation of party delegates at the various designated centres around 9.a.m
Delegates from the southern senatorial district were screened at Ondo State Property Development Agency (OSPDA) Hall at Ijapo, Akure, those from northern district converged on SB Hall at Ondo road, Akure, while those from Central were cleared at the Gani Fawehinmi Arcade ground.
They were taken to the voting centre at International Event Centre, Dome in buses with security convoy.
The voting commenced exactly 12.22pm and delegates filed past, voted and left the voting centre after casting their votes. Actual voting ended around 6.27pm followed by counting at 7.15pm.
This is Akeredolu’s second coming as a gubernatorial candiadate. In 2012 he contested on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN). He was defeated by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the then Labour Party who later defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
