Doherty floors Bode George, as Aivoji emerges Lagos PDP chairman
The Deji Doherty camp of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the party’s state chairmanship position, beaten the group led by Chief Olabode George.
A former Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism in the state, Philip Olabode Aivoji was elected the new chairman at the state congress of the party, which ended on Monday.
Aivoji contested against Dr. Amos Fawole, who was the choice of Chief Bode George, a former National Deputy Chairman of the party.
The congress, which commenced on Sunday, ended at noon on Monday.
Despite the strong backing of Fawole by many of the party’s leaders and elders, Aivoji polled 839 votes to beat him with a close margin of 23 votes.
The Chairman, Electoral Committee for the Congress and Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri said the committee was fair and transparent in the conduct of the congress.
He said: “I will like to use this opportunity to appreciate members of the PDP, Lagos State chapter. The PDP is one and the same, this is a family election.
“I believe there is no winner, the winner is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). And so, everybody should work in a way and in a manner to ensure that the PDP remain united as a family.
“Even those who had the ambition to lead the party but lost should support the winners to ensure that come 2023 the PDP will take over Lagos State.”
Aivoji, in his address after being declared winner, said that he considered the call for service as a privilege, promised to work with leaders of PDP to reposition the party in the state in order to win elections.
Also, speaking with journalists, the newly elected Publicity Secretary of the party, Hakeem Amode, applauded the party leaders for giving the state a free and fair congress, saying that it was first of its kinds in the party.
Amode boasted that the outcome of the congress was a new beginning for Lagos PDP, saying that the new executives would work assiduously with party members and leaders to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state come 2023.
