Loyalists of Hon. Ladi Adebutu and Jimi Lawal clashed on Wednesday over the delegates’ list to be used for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Ogun State.
The primary election, which is currently being held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, was almost disrupted when loyalists of the two governorship aspirants, Adebutu Lawal disagreed over the delegates list.
Trouble started shortly after the PDP electoral panel, headed by Prof Akase Sorkaa began accreditation of delegates.
Our correspondent, who was at the venue, observed that some loyalists of Lawal, a former appointee of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, lamented that the delegates list brought by the PDP electoral committee had been tampered with.
They alleged that the delegates list was not the same as the one with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who were at the venue to monitor the exercise.
This led to a shouting match between supporters of Lawal and Adebutu, who also engaged one another in pushing and shoving.
An aide of Lawal, Austin Oniyokor, had brought a list he said was certified by INEC, and insisted that the exercise must not take place unless the said document is adopted.
However, the situation was brought under control as security agents assured INEC officials, who had earlier left the auditorium, of their safety.
However, the PDP Chairman in Ogun, Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele, called for calm among the warring factions.
He insisted that the delegates list brought from Abuja would be used for the shadow election.
The party secretary in Ogun, Sunday Solarin, said the drama was a plot by some elements to disorganise the exercise.
The election is ongoing as at the time of filing this report.
Naijasocietynews reports that this is coming a few hours after another aspirant, Segun Showunmi, held a factional primary election that returned him as a factional gubernatorial candidate.
Our correspondent observes that Ogun may end up having two parallel governorship candidates as Showunmi had earlier gone to court.
