(Oluseye OjoIBADAN)

Group Managing Director of Energy Group Jimoh Ibrahim on Monday emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of this year’s governorship election in Ondo State.

His candidacy comes barely a week after Mr. Eyitayo Jegede stepped forward as PDP candidate for a faction led by former governor of Kaduna State and chairman, Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator Ahmed Markafi.

The faction that produced Ibrahim is loyal to former governor of Borno State and acting national chairman of the party Ali Modu Sheriff.

The primary election that produced Ibrahim was held at the Banquet Hall of Premier Hotel, Ibadan from Sunday night till Monday afternoon.

The results of the poll was announced by former Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak. In the results, the total votes cast was 560, though 801 delegates were earmarked for the primaries.

Ibrahim polled 502 votes, while his rival, Sola Ebiseni, a former commissioner for mineral resources in Ondo State got 41 votes. Ebiseni resigned  and 17 votes were void. A total of 241 delegates did not show up for the exercise.

Prior to the election, three of the aspirants, Mr. Niran Sule, a lawyer; Mr. Badru Dada, a pharmacist; and Mrs. Abiye Ademoyegun, a lawyer, had stepped down for Ibrahim and asked the delegates loyal to them to vote for Ibrahim.

Daily Sun gathered that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) were not at the venue to monitor the exercise.