Osun bye-election: PDP’s Adeleke ahead in protest vote

Mudashiru Hussain, the ruling All Progressives Congress candidate may have lost the Osun West Senatorial bye-election to Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, according to actual results declared at various collation centres in the state.

Unofficial results show that Adeleke, brother of the former incumbent, Isiaka Adeleke, swept the two local councils in his home town of Ede. He also won Egbedore and Ola Oluwa local councils.

Projections in other  local councils also appear to show that he is coasting home to victory.

His victory, if confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, will be a big blow to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, less than two years to the end of his tenure, amid permutations for the 2018 governorship election.

An APC stalwart told www.nan.ng that it may be a disastrous night for the party.

“Though collation is on, projections are not favourable for our candidate, even as we await results from some  units”, the stalwart close to Governor Aregbesola said.

Adeleke had wanted to  run on the APC platform to replace his brother, a member of the APC, who died on 23 April. He was initially cleared for the election by the party and his opponent, Mudashir Hussain disqualified because of the allegation that he failed to resign his commissionership position.

But National Working Committee of the party later overturned Hussain’s disqualification and cleared him to contest in the primary election..

Adeleke, believing that he would be outsmarted in the scheduled primary,  defected to the Peoples Democratic Party led by Ali Modu Sheriff,  to run for the seat.

In the run-up to the election today, it was clear sentiments would rule the ballots, especially as the public felt an Adeleke scion should be compensated for the sudden death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who was planning to run for the governorship election next year.

And then there were  politically instigated protests against the government by pensioners and some workers, accusing the Aregbesola government of owing them arrears of payments.

Signs of a possible failed bid by the APC candidate came in the result for his polling  Unit 1, Ward 3 in Ejigbo local government.

He  got 152 votes, Adeleke of PDP got 148 votes, a difference of just four votes. (NAN)