Fashola’s preferred candidate ranks fifth

Gboyega Akinsanmi and Shola Oyeyipo

Former Accountant-General of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode this morning emerged the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, ending speculation about who succeeds the incumbent governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola in 2015.

After ballot papers were sorted and valid votes counted, the Chairman of Lagos State Governorship Primary Committee and former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Chief Peter Obadan formally declared Ambode as the winner of the state governorship primary. 

Ambode, who resigned from the Lagos State Public Service in September 2012 to enable him pursue his governorship aspiration, won landslide with the total number of 3735 votes, which represents 65.24 percent.

The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, whose aspiration suffered much setback when the incumbent governor allegedly dropped him for former Attorney-General of the state, Mr. Olasupo Shasore, came second in the keenly contested preliminary election, polling 1201, which represents 21.13 percent.

Shasore, who is Fashola’s preferred candidate and whose campaign office resident in Southern Sun Hotel in Ikoyi, ranked fifth in the contest with the paltry number of 121 votes, representing 2.11 percent.  

No fewer than 6,000 delegates participated in the process, which was apparently peaceful and widely adjudged transparent, though only 5725 votes were counted valid. Some votes were voided while few delegates did not come up for the exercise.

As contained in the result, Akinwunmi Ambode scored 3735, Obafemi Hamzat 1201, Ganiyu Solomon 272, Adeyemi Ikuforiji 182, Olasupo Shasore 121, Leke Pitan 112, Tola Kasali 69, Tayo Ayinde 17, Adekunle Disu 9, Adetokunbo Wahab 7, Olarenwaju Ope 0, Abayomi Sutton 0 and Adetokunbo Agbesanya 0.