Sanwo-Olu: Face-off between Lagos APC and NWC looms
There is an impending face-off between the Lagos chapter of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC), headed by its national leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Working Committee (NWC) over Tuesday’s gubernatorial primary of the state, where favoured candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu emerged the party’s flag bearer in the state.
The party after postponing the state’s primary two times scheduled it to hold on Tuesday. However, after thousands of APC members including Tinubu and the state deputy governor, Idiat Adebule, cast their votes and results were been announced in various wards in the state, NWC announced the election was null and void.
This was after the former Commissioner of the state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had been declared winner of the primary defeating the incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.
The chairman of the panel Clement Ebri said the results announced cannot stand and that “fresh time and date for the election will be announced later”.
He added that all materials meant for the election are still in their custody hence election could not have held.
Meanwhile, Tinubu after casting his vote in Ikeja insisted that the election was free and fair. He affirmed that the exercise and the ‘open system’ was ordered by the party.
“It is a democracy day for us,” said Tinubu.
“So, if the party now says they want either a change or they want to reaffirm his governorship through an open system, we have to abide by that. If they elect him today, so be it,” Tinubu said.
Similarly, the Lagos State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, thanked party members for coming out en masse to participate in the primary, saying that their participation reflected their belief in democracy.
“I am aware that conflicting information has been circulating on our primary election, but I must tell you that the election was held and it was free and fair,” Balogun said, adding: “It would be very painful to disenfranchise the over 1.5 million members who voted across the 245 wards in the state.
Announcing the results to newsmen in Ikeja, Balogun said that Sanwo-Olu polled 970, 851 votes to defeat Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, who polled 72, 901 votes.
