2023: Adebutu, Jimi Lawal's Supporters Clash, As Gunshots Disrupt Ogun Guber Parallel Primaries

From Left: Consultant To Hon. Ladi Adebutu On Media, Afolabi Orekoya Engaging Austin Onyiokor, Media Consultant To Alhaji Jimi Lawal In Hot Argument, While Jimi Lawal Tries To Calm The Duo 

By Sam 'Mobolade, Abeokuta

The parallel governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state has been disrupted following a shouting march and clash over delegate list.

The primaries, holding in the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) on Wednesday, was brought to a halt when loyalists of two governorship aspirants, Ladi Adebutu and Jimi Lawal clashed over the delegate list to adopted for the exercise.

This comes few hours after another primary election was conducted and produced Segun Sowunmi as the party's candidate

The major aspirants contesting for the Governorship ticket of the party are: Ladi Adebutu, Jimi Lawal and Segun Sowunmi.

The election which took place at the premises of NUJ saw Sowunmi polling 554 votes to emerge winner.

Few hours later, another primaries was called at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library where Lawal and Adebutu attended but withnessed hot arguments and series of gunshots before the exercise ended abruptly.

Trouble had started shortly after the PDP electoral panel, headed by Prof Akase Sorkaa had announced the mode of conduct of the exercise.

Our correspondent who was at the venue observed that, some loyalists of Lawal, an ex-banker raised an objection, rejecting a delegate list brought from the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

This led to a shout march between supporters of Lawal and Adebutu who also engaged one another pushing and shoving.

One of the aides of Lawal, Austin Oniyokor who brought some documents claiming to have been certified by the INEC, insisted that the exercise must not take place unless the said document is adopted.

The drama which lasted for over 30 minutes saw security operatives helpless while INEC officials temporarily relocated from the hall.

"This exercise cannot be conducted with fake list. These are INEC generated documents. These are your certified documents," Oniyokor shouted whole addressing INEC officials.

While still waiting for the party officials to to find solutions to the impasse, sound of gunshots from outside the hall caused journalists and other delegates to scamper for safety.

As at the time of filling this report, the outcome of the parallel exercise cannot be predicted but Honorable Jimi Lawal has left the hall.

The Catalyst Cable