Quadri Yahya
Claim
A former gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Otunba Segun Showunmi claimed to be the party’s ‘candidate’ on his Twitter page.
Verdict
Misleading.
Full Text
No fewer than 13 parties contested in the gubernatorial election held in Ogun State on March 18.
These parties’ representatives, commonly referred to as aspirants, emerged after an internal election, known as a primary election, which was held in various chosen locations, and supervised by party members and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Before actual election day, one of the leading parties in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party held a controversial primary election in the state capital, Abeokuta.
In dramatic primary elections, two PDP members, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu and Otunba Showunmi emerged as the party’s candidates for the governorship position.
Genesis of the PDP Crisis
Two different parallel primary elections were held in separate locations by members of the PDP.
The primary that produced Hon. Adebutu was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library complex, where he contested against Jimi Lawal and Abimbola Abodunrin.
On the other hand, the primary that produced Otunba Showunmi was held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Abeokuta.
Showunmi polled 554 votes to defeat his closest rival, Lawal who scored 30 votes, while Adebutu polled 15 votes.
The chairman of the electoral committee, Abayomi Daniel announced Showunmi as the winner of the election after the votes were counted.
On the other hand, the election won by Hon. Adebutu was reportedly monitored by a five-man Electoral Committee from the National Headquarters of the PDP, Abuja headed by Prof Akase Sorkaa.
Prof Sorkaa announced Adebutu winner having polled 714 votes out of the 715 vote cast.
The National Working Committee of the party, however, endorsed Adebutu as the PDP’s authentic candidate.
Showunmi Goes to Court
Following the fiascos in the party, Showunmi sued the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC) and the factional governorship candidate of the party in Ogun State, Adebutu, seeking among others, the sack of the state and wards Executive Committees of the party for allegedly buying nomination form for Adebutu.
Justice O. O. Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State, had on September 27 cancelled the primaries which produced Adebutu and other candidates on the grounds that the list used was not genuine.
In a fresh judgment on November 29, 2022, an Appeal Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, reinstated Adebutu as the validly elected governorship candidate of the party in the state.
A Supreme Court judgment also affirmed Adebutu as the candidate to represent PDP on the ballot.
Meanwhile, despite losing in court, the former gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi claimed to be the party’s ‘candidate’ on his Twitter page.
This was months after the election was held in the state.
Verification
Though Hon. Showunmi sued the PDP and Hon. Adebutu, the authentic PDP candidate, the courts’ judgments were not in his favour.
FactCheckElections can confirm that Hon. Adebutu represented the PDP during the governorship election held in the state.
He, however, lost to the incumbent, Dapo Abiodun, candidate of the All Progressives Congress. At the poll, Abiodun secured 276,298 votes, while Adebutu polled 262,383.
Conclusion
Otunba Showunmi’s Twitter profile where he claimed to be the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP is MISLEADING.