From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin
In a rerun primary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ilorin on Monday, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal, son of late Kwara state governor, Mohammed Lawal, again won the party’s governorship primary for 2023 general elections, just as he did last Wednesday.
Hakeem won by 606 votes to beat Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, his only opponent at the rerun, who polled 177 votes. Eight votes were voided.
The SDP governorship primary, witnessed by INEC officials, had four delegates each from 193 wards in the state, making a total of 772 delegates alongside some members of the state exco of the party.
It is recalled that the governorship primary held last Wednesday was won by Alhaji Hakeem Lawal, when he defeated former vice chancellor of University of Ilorin, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, Engineer Sunday Babalola, Alhaji Tajudeen Audu Lafiaji, Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji, Alhaji Kale Belgore and Engineer Sunday Babalola in the contest.
In the last Wednesday contest, Alhaji Lawal had polled 33 votes out of a total number of 63 votes at the governorship primary conducted at the Atlantic Event centre, Ilorin.
Professor Abdulraheem polled 16 votes, Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji got no vote, Alhaji Kale Belgore got no vote, Engineer Sunday Babalola got two votes, while Alhaji Lafiaji polled 10 votes.
It was gathered that Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem had petitioned the result of the last Wednesday governorship primary to the national headquarters of the party culminating into a fresh conduct of the primary.
It is recalled that late Mohammed Lawal was Kwara state governor between 1999-2003 on the platform of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP).