Why Jimi Agbaje defeated Musliu Obanikoro

Amid tense horse-trading, delegates of the Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , late Monday night, elected Jimi Agbaje, as the party’s standard bearer for the governorship election in 2015.

 And at the end of the primary election, Agbaje polled 432 votes to beat his closest rival, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro who had 348 votes. Other aspirants beaten by Agbaje, in the exercise were Ambassador Tokunbo Kamson, who

scored 46 votes, and the duo of Babatunde Gbadamosi and Engr. Adedeji Doherty, who both polled 21 votes respectively. A lot of intrigues, permutations, mudslinging and persuasion, had characterized the exercise that was nearly disrupted by some thugs allegedly instructed by a powerful bloc of the party in apparent support for one of the popular aspirants.

According to sources privy to the intrigues that played out during the exercise, the emergence of Agbaje, aside being a product of the effort and influence of the party’s former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, also had a silent thrust of support from the presidency,without Obanikoro knowledge. “The problem was that Obanikoro did not read the presidency’s body language very well.

The presidency needs him more in Abuja but when he began to overate himself, Abuja only told George to let him be and continue to do what he knows how to do best,” the source said.

Some few months back, President Goodluck Jonathan, was said to have during a meeting with aspirants and leadership of the PDP in Lagos said he does not have any candidate but gave a hint about a certain aspirant.

After the parley, the veiled statement from the president was translated by many analysts to portend the support of Abuja for Agbaje, who many also believe enjoys much of backing from a South-West governor who recently defected to the PDP.

The source continues: “Agbaje’s candidature was never in doubt from the day George took him (Agbaje) to the presidency.

One of the conditions given by the president was that George should ensure they keep their house in order, hence, the much touted reconciliation between George and Ogunlewe. “Agbaje’s personality is what the president bought into but nobody was ready to push off Obanikoro just like that, especially with his weight in the state.

They just allowed the balls to roll till Monday because they did want any litigation to flaw the primaries, otherwise it could have been a consensus for Agbaje.”

Meanwhile, a stalwart of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, has expressed the resolve of leaders of the party to reconcile the aggrieved aspirants who lost in the Monday’s governorship primaries to ensure that the party forge a common front for the general election.

Speaking at a press conference held yesterday to herald the victory  of Agbaje, George, who supported the aspiration of the PDP candidate, denied allegations levelled against him that he manipulated the process in support of Mr Jimi Agbaje...culled