Facts have emerged that the member of House of Representatives representing Ado-Odo Ota Federal Constituency at the national assembly, Hon Jimoh Ojugbele has won the primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, conducted last Friday in the Constituency.

A result sheet sighted by HorizonTimes indicated that Ojugbele scored 41 votes out of the total 43 accredited voters, while the State Commissioner for forestry, Tunji Akinosi, came distant second with only two votes.

HorizonTimes reports that the primary conducted at Alamuwa Grammar School, Ado-Odo area of the Constituency, ended in chaos following the refusal of other aspirants to accept Akinosi as a consensus candidate.

Ogun Deputy Governor, Engr. Naimot Salako-Oyedele was said to have arrived the primary venue to allegedly inform the electoral officer, Tunji Ibitokun, that there was a consensus arrangement to field Akinosi.

The development, HorizonTimes gathered was rebuffed by delegates and agents loyal to other aspirants who insisted in voting and that there was no consensus arrangement.

Thugs who had besieged the venue of the primary, allegedly struck and disrupted the exercise immediately both the Deputy Governor and Akinosi left the venue. (https://horizontimesng.com/gunshots-as-violence-disrupts-ado-odoota-apc-reps-primary/ )

But in a statement signed by Ojugbele, the lawmaker said the process was only disrupted for few minutes, but was later concluded and the votes counted in his favour.

He said, “The intimidation and an attempt to disrupt the peaceful exercise by some disgruntled elements and street urchins sponsored by one of the aspirants who convincingly believed that the outcome of the election won’t be in his favor only delayed the exercise for few minutes before normalcy was restored by security agents on duty.

“It is on record that election was conducted, votes were counted, and result was announced by the assigned umpire at the same venue before all agents and I was declared the WINNER.

“According to the final results as announced by Tunji Ibitokun, Hon. Ojugbele scored 41 votes out of the 43 accredited delegates and Hon. Tunji Akinosi came a distant second with 2 votes.”

The Party rescheduled the same primaries for Sunday, but also ended in chaos as the same thugs invaded the venue towards the end of the voting exercise to snatch ballot boxes and destroyed ballot papers.

The combined team of security operatives from the Nigeria Army, the Nigeria Police, the Directorate of State Services, Amotekun Corps, etc, could not stop the ravaging hoodlums.

Two agents who were at the venue of the exercise alleged that the Chairman of Ado-Odo Ota local government, Sherif Musa, was the one who led the thugs to disrupt the exercise, but Musa denied the allegation. ( https://horizontimesng.com/again-thugs-disrupt-adoodo-ota-reps-primaries-snatch-ballot-papers-as-ojugbele-claims-victory/ )

While reacting to the rerun, Ojugbele maintained that it was baseless unconstitutional and an exercise in futility.

"The request for a re-run by an aspirant who lost an election because he is not popular is baseless, laughable and can best be imagined as such call is unfounded in law and a flagrant disregard to the party constitution.

"The primaries conducted at Alamuwa Grammar School by the assigned returning officer, Tunji Ibitokun was without any controversy and was done in substantial compliance with the party constitution, electoral guidelines and Electoral Act.

"It is elementary that once a candidate had emerged from an election which was conducted and concluded as in the instant case, an aggrieved aspirant can only challenge the outcome of such election before the APPEAL COMMITTEE inaugurated by the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress.

"Any attempt to conduct an election not sanctioned by the National Working Committee after it has been heard and decided by the Appeal committee will only amount to an exercise in futility and a NULLITY.”

It is not clear how the party will react to the development in the coming days, but there is every indication that the matter may end in court.