Babatunde Gbadamosi has emerged the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Lagos East senatorial bye election.

Accredition and voting started at 1.30pm and of the total number of 624 votes cast, 14 votes were void, while Gbadamosi scored 529 votes to emerge winner in the election. Princess Saidat Odofin Fafowora, got 59 votes to be placed second, while the other two contestants, Babatunde Olanrewaju and Princess Oyefusi scored 21 votes and 7 votes to place third and fourth positions respectively.

The election, supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under the chairmanship of Tunde Oyebade, was adjudged peaceful, free and fair by the the four aspirants and observers.

The aspirants had earlier promised to respect the decision of the the 5 man election committee, chaired by Ndidi Okereke,  and assured they would support whoever emerged winner.

The chairman of the committee in an interview with journalists commended the election process, even as he charged INEC to ensure that the bye election would be free and fair, so as to gain the confidence of the electorate.

Okereke said, “I want to commend the delegates and the aspirants for comporting themselves in  orderly manner. PDP is a party that operates within the ambit of the law.

“I am happy that participants at this event are observing the COVID-19 safety protocols by maintaining social distancing, and other safety measures as advised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control  (NCDC). PDP is the party to beat at the bye-election. We are very confident of winning and so we are calling on Lagosians to come out on masse to vote for PDP. We also implore INEC to ensure that the votes of the people count”

Emeka Nwachukwu, chairman of the appeal committee while commending the peaceful conduct of the election, stressed that the election would go down in history as one of the most peaceful elections to be conducted by the party.