By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The lawmaker representing Eti-Osa Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Gbolahan Yishawu, has emerged winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election after recording a massive turnout of supporters and party members across the constituency.

The exercise, which took place in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Obalende, witnessed large crowds of residents and party faithful who gathered to participate in the primaries and demonstrate support for the incumbent lawmaker.

Supporters at the various venues described the turnout as unprecedented, with many reportedly arriving as early as 6 a.m., despite delays before voting eventually commenced. The exercise remained peaceful as party members waited patiently to cast their votes.
Other aspirants contesting for the APC ticket, including Bunmi Tejuosho and Segun Idowu, were reportedly absent from the venues where the primaries were conducted across the constituency.

Speaking after the exercise, Yishawu expressed appreciation to supporters for what he described as an overwhelming show of solidarity and confidence in his leadership.
“This massive crowd can only be by God’s help. I am overwhelmed by their support,” he said.

One of the voters, Simon Omoweli, said the turnout reflected the lawmaker’s performance and impact within the constituency over the years.

According to him, residents considered the support a way of rewarding Yishawu for projects and interventions carried out across different communities.

A former councillor in the ward, Mike Phillips, also described the crowd as “organic,” insisting that residents turned out voluntarily because of the lawmaker’s achievements.
He noted that many supporters were not politicians but ordinary residents who left their workplaces to participate because of Yishawu’s empowerment programmes, healthcare initiatives and constituency projects.

Also speaking, the APC Returning Officer, Hashimu Abdulhamid, commended party members for maintaining peace and order throughout the exercise.

He said security personnel were deployed across the venues to ensure a hitch-free process.

Abdulhamid added that the turnout recorded in both Ikoyi and Victoria Island was impressive, while the exercise remained calm and successful.

Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies were also on hand to maintain law and order. Their presence contributed significantly to the smooth conduct of the primaries, as there were no reports of violence, disruption or electoral malpractice.

Meanwhile, the immediate past Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government Area, Ganiyu Egunjobi, and Barrister Azeez Ninalowo emerged winners of the APC primaries in Agege Constituencies I and II respectively.

Egunjobi and Ninalowo had earlier been adopted as the party’s consensus candidates during a caucus meeting presided over by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, last Tuesday.
The Speaker’s public endorsement of the two candidates was said to have influenced voting patterns among delegates and strengthened confidence in their candidacies.

Party faithful and stakeholders turned out in large numbers to support their preferred candidates during the exercise held across the wards in Agege.

The primaries were broadcast live on several social media platforms, while officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission monitored the exercise.