An engineer, Mr Adeola Adebanjo, has emerged as the candidate of the Labour Party for the February 3 bye-election in the Surulere Federal Constituency I in Lagos State.

Mr Adebanjo defeated two other aspirants in the primary election held on Sunday at Surulere, to fly the party’s flag in the election.

The Chairman of the LP Electoral Committee for the primary, Mr Clement Ojukwu, said that 18 delegates, three from each of the six electoral wards in the federal constituency, were accredited for the election.

According to him, Mr Adebanjo polled 12 votes to defeat his closest rival, Dr Folaseye Adebayo, who scored six votes while the last aspirant, Kenechukwu Osuji, got zero vote.

Declaring Mr Adebanjo winner of the election, Mr Ojukwu, also the LP National Organising Secretary, urged Surulere residents to vote the party candidate in the upcoming election.

He assured that the candidate, if elected, would not let the constituents down.

In his victory speech, Mr Adebanjo, who was also the party’s candidate for the constituency in the 2023 general elections, promised to give the people of the constituency qualitative representation.

Mr Adebanjo promised the constituents wealth creation and a good deal for the youth.

Before the election, the three aspirants signed a Memorandum of Understanding and peace deal with the party.

The exercise held under tight security was observed and monitored by some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Recall that INEC had fixed February 3 for the conduct of re-run and bye-elections in nine states, including the Surulere Federal Constituency I in Lagos State.

According to the timetable for the poll, conduct of party primary elections, including resolution of disputes that may arise from the primary elections, have been fixed to hold between January 5 and January 9.

The public campaigns by political parties will commence on January 18 and end on February 1.

The Surulere seat became vacant due to the resignation of the former occupant, Femi Gbajabiamila, who after winning, was appointed by President Bola Tinubu as his Chief of Staff.

(NAN)