BY OLA AJAYI

IBADAN—AMIDST grievances from some notable chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  in Oyo State, Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, yesterday braced all odds and won the party’s ticket for the second term to contest this year’s governorship election in the state .

Though, former PDP Deputy National Chairman (South West), Alhaji Yekini Adeojo; former Deputy Governor to Alao-Akala in the controversial 11 months reign, Hazeem Gbolarumi,  indicated their interest to contest the election, the crisis in the party was said to have led to their disqualification by the PDP screening committee held at Abeokuta, Ogun State

At the primaries which was conducted at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (formerly Liberty Stadium), observers like the INEC Officials, members of the party, SSS and the Nigeria Police were at the venue of the election.

It was some how hectic for various delegates as security men did a thorough search on them before they were granted entry into the stadium. Akala polled 1,239 votes to defeat Wole Oyelese who scored one vote. He had earlier gone to court to initiate legal action against the conduct of the primary.

While announcing the results, Mr. Bwari Bala, Chairman of the party’s election committee from Abuja, gave kudos to all the delegates from the 33 local government areas of the state for being peaceful during the exercise. He said 1,300 delegates were accredited but only 1,256 delegates voted during the election.

Governor Akala expressed thanks to the delegates for reposing their confidence in him and said the state would witness more developmental projects when elected for the second term. He expressed displeasure at the boycott of the exercise by his opponents, saying they would demonstrated democratic sportsmanship if they had participated.