BEVERLY HILLS, April 13, (THEWILL) – The contest for the chairmanship position of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West zonal congress held on Monday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, came to an end with Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja emerging as the winner..
Arapaja belongs to the caucus loyal to Oyo State’s Governor Seyi Makinde, which has been locked in battle against loyalists of the former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose.
Arapaja got 343 votes to beat his co-contestant, Dr Eddy Olafeso, who scored 330 votes.
The total accredited votes were 684 out of which 10 votes were voided while total votes cast was 674.
Announcing the result, Benson Abounu, Deputy Governor of Benue State, who represented his boss as the Chairman of the event, thanked party members for their cooperation in making the exercise a free and fair one.
Others elected South-West executives at the congress were:
Secretary –Chief Rahman Owokoniran;
Treasurer –Mr. Samson Omotoyosi;
Organizing Secretary –Barr. Amuwa Benson;
Publicity Secretary –Chief Olusanya Atofarati;
Financial Secretary –Mr. Adewoyin Rasaq Babarinde;
Legal Adviser –Barr. Gbenga Kukoyi;
Auditor –Dr. Adeola Adewumi;
Women Leader –Mrs Modinat Bosede Adedibu;
Youth Leader –Mr. Bamidele Seyi Abiola;
Zonal Ex-Officio –Adeola Santos;
Zonal Ex-Officio –Ms. Modupe Adetokunbo;
Zonal Ex-Officio –Araoye Sikiru;
Zonal Ex-Officio –Olugbenga Idowu;
Zonal Ex-Officio –Segun Adewale Aeroland;
Zonal Ex-Officio –Lanre Fajuyi;
and National Ex-Officio –Olakunle Paul;
National Ex-Officio –David Kolawole Vaughan;
National Ex-Officio –Ogunrinde Emmanuel;
National Ex-Officio –Faboyede Clement;
National Ex-Officio –Taiwo Kabiru;
National Ex-Officio –Oluwakemi Olayiwola.
All the elected officials are from Governor Seyi Makinde group of the party which styled itself as “Unity Team.”
Earlier before the delegates’ election, the two factional leaders, Fayose and Makinde, agreed that they would accept the outcome of the election.
The loser in the National vice Chairmanship election, Olafeso , congratulated Arapaja saying , “The storm is over.”
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
