After an energy-sapping contest between Senator Dino Melaye and Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf for the Kogi West senatorial ticket on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Senator lost.
The contest which had to go through a rerun saw Tajudeen Yusuf is who currently representing Kabba/ Bunu Ijumu Federal Constituency garner 163 as against Dino’s 99.
The exercise was largely seen as a contest between Atiku and Wike, with Senator Dino being regarded as the candidate of Atiku Abubakar and Tajudeen Yusuf, candidate of Nyson Wike saw the two candidates having 88 votes each at the first round of the exercise which necessitated a rerun
Dino after his defeat in a Twitter message, said: “the primary has been fought and won. I congratulate Hon T.J Yusuf and thank all those who voted in the first and second ballot for me. The gang-up is unimaginable but I give God praise. God bless you all”
Both candidates were alleged to have spent heavy money with each delegate getting between N800,000 to N1million in order to get their support
Meanwhile, a former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Bolaji Abdullahi has emerged as the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for Kwara central.
Abdullahi, also a former National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged through consensus during the party’s primary election in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
Addressing journalists after his emergence, Abdullahi said emerging through a consensus is democratic as the process does not allow imposition.
“Where there are voices of dissent, no matter how minor those voices could be, then they must have the opportunity to have their day in accordance with the regulations of the election,” he said.
“But where there is no such dissent, then you should not expect to have any rift. What you are seeing possibly is a situation whereby everybody is not on the same page on the mode of selection.
“When everybody is not on the same page, then it is difficult to begin to talk about consensus and there is an alternative to consensus which is competitive primaries. We have also seen it happen here yesterday in our party, in this state.”
A former senator, Rafiu Ibrahim also emerged as the PDP consensus candidate for Kwara South.
He was affirmed by the delegates as the consensus candidate.
In Kwara North, it was a keen contest between a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Issa Bawa and a former Commissioner for Special Duties, Aisha Ahman-Pategi.
Issa Bawa eventually defeated Ahman-Pategi to clinch the party’s senatorial ticket for Kwara North.
