Lagos by-election: PDP electoral committee declares primaries hitch-free, fair

The party’s Chairman, Electoral Committee for Lagos State, Mr Ndidi Okereke, made this known to newsmen during the party’s primaries in Lagos on Saturday.

He said: “As you can see, it has been a peaceful election and I commend PDP in Lagos because it has been a wonderful exercise and there has been no issue so far at the venue.

“The delegates and the aspirants have conducted themselves in an orderly manner.

“Also, the aspirants are the best anybody can think of and you can see them chatting and relating with one another.

“Though there are little challenges they are not to be complained about because it is not a major one,” he said.

Okereke noted that there were five Local Government Areas for the Lagos East Senatorial District and advised other parties to emulate PDP in conducting their primaries.

Okereke advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to step up its game in the forthcoming by-elections.

“A lot has been done by INEC but I will advise the commission to step up their game toward the forthcoming bye-election slated for Oct. 31.

“I expect the commission not to take side and be transparent the way PDP is conducting its primaries in a transparent manner.

“I am hopeful that the votes of the electorate will count and once you have voted, you stay around to defend your votes,” he said.

One of the aspirants, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, said he was confident he would emerge victorious in the exercise.

Gbadamosi said so far, the exercise had been smooth, though the process was delayed but blamed it on the traffic situation in the state.

He added that he was confident in the committee that was sent from our the PDP National Headquarters to supervise the exercise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four aspirants for the senatorial district were Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Mrs Abiodun Oyefusi, Mrs Saidat Odofin-Fafowora and Mr Olanrewaju Babatunde.

NAN also reports that the aspirants for the House of Assembly, Kosofe Constituency II, were, Mr Alebiosu Adekoya and Mr Aroyewun Segun.

The bye-elections were to fill 12 vacant legislative seats across eight states in Nigeria, following the demise or resignation of the previous occupants.