Lagos PDP congress: How consensus option failed

A former commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism in Lagos State, Mr Philip Aivoji, was yesterday declared the newly elected Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.  Aivoji, in a keenly contested election on Sunday, defeated Dr Amos Fawole with 839 votes to 816.  The outcome of the election saw delegates rejecting […]

A former commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism in Lagos State, Mr Philip Aivoji, was yesterday declared the newly elected Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

 Aivoji, in a keenly contested election on Sunday, defeated Dr Amos Fawole with 839 votes to 816.

 The outcome of the election saw delegates rejecting the consensus arrangement earlier adopted by the party which would have produced Fawole. 

As the election was about to commence, there was a protest by some delegates who insisted on exercising their right to vote and rejected the consensus arrangement. 

Daily Trust reports that two unity lists emerged at the venue of the congress with delegates protesting that the race should be thrown open to enable them to elect candidates of their choice.

One list had Dr Amos Fawole from Surulere Local Government as the preferred chairman while the other list had Phillip Olabode as chairman

 It would be recalled that Fawole was earlier adopted as the consensus candidate during a meeting presided over by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State where the 39 offices were shared across all tendencies. 

But following the insistence of delegates to vote candidates of their choice, the race was later thrown open by the electoral committee chaired by Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.

The congress which started on Sunday at 11am with the accreditation of delegates did not end until the next day, Monday.

A total of 1,786 delegates were accredited for the congress.

Daily Trust reports that the congress almost became rowdy as supporters of Fawole rejected the number of votes cast for Aivoji, alleging that three of the chairmanship aspirants bore the same first name, Philip, with Aivoji and thereby insinuated that the votes of others were counted in favour of Aivoji.

That prompted Governor Diri to order a recount which turned out to be the same.

Diri after announcing the results said, “I will like to use this opportunity to appreciate members of the PDP, Lagos State chapter. The PDP is the same, this is a family election. I believe there is no winner, the winner is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

Other elected members included Benedict Tai (deputy chairman), Mr Soji Orioye (secretary); Mrs Idowu Akinsanya (Women Leader) and Mr Hakeem Amodu (publicity secretary), among others.