There was a large turnout of members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the State of Osun to their respective wards for the governorship primary of the party won by the Chief of Staff to the Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.
The process of the primary was Direct and with Option A4 which allowed all party members to elect the party’s flag bearer by queuing behind their preferred aspirant’s poster.
It is also the first time Option A4 was used in the history of Primary Elections by a political party in Nigeria.
This is coming as governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola commended the process.
In a series of tweets earlier on Saturday, Governor Aregbesola commended the process, saying, “Osun has once again set an example in boosting participatory democracy for Nigeria. We have handed power back to the people.
“I would like to specially appreciate God and every member of our party in Osun for the peaceful and successful conduct of our primaries. We Thank Governor Abubakar Yari And his team for overseeing the successful conduct of our primaries.
“I heartily congratulate the candidate of our party the APC, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, on his victory in yesterday’s primaries. In the same vein, I congratulate all the other aspirants who have run a good race and fought a good fight.
“Our party remains a united family and we will march as one to victory come September 22nd 2018.” The governor said.
Meanwhile,a visit to ward polling centers across the state reveal that party members trooped out to witness and make history by coming our enmasse to choose who represents them in the gubernatorial poll.
Our correspondent who monitored the exercise throughout the state reports that despite the withdrawal of some aspirants, members of the APC thronged the respective venues of the election in their locality to cast their vote.
At Salvation Army Primary School, Elewu’s Compound (Ward 7) where the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Ajibola Basiru voted and other wards in Osogbo Local Government, members arrived the venues as early as 8 am even though voting commenced around 11 am.
The mood was ecstatic with party members as they expressed joy at the level of sanity and transparency which Direct Primaries brought to the process.
In Ilesa, the story was not different as Governor Rauf Aregbesola led other party members across the wards in the ancient town to vote for the aspirant of their choice.
Also seen at his voting centre was Nigeria’s Minister for Health, Prof Isaac Adewole and the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Engr Remi Omowaiye and other party stalwarts who expressed satisfaction with the restoration of true democracy with Direct Primaries.
The Speaker of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Dr Najeem Salaam who was also an aspirant was in his ward in Ejigbo local government was out to support the exercise and commended the organisers.
In Iwo, Ibokun, Ede and Ile Ife, the situation was the same as all party members exercised their civic responsibility.
Also in Iragbiji ward 3, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola was received amidst cheers from all supporters of the APC.
At the end, the committee led by Governor Abdul Aziz Yari of Zamfara State through Senator Ovie Omo-Agege who is the secretary of the committee announced Oyetola as the winner.
Oyetola polled 127,017 against Lasun Yussuff who scored 21,975 while the Speaker of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Dr Najeem Salam polled 17,958 votes.
