Mr. Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Lagos State with 1,100 votes to defeat Deji Doherty, who polled 742 votes.
The chairman of the election panel, Victor Oyofo, declared Agbaje the party’s flag bearer ahead of the governorship election next year.
Earlier in the week, the incumbent governor, Mr Ambode lost in his bid to seek re-election as another candidate, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, emerged the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
Agbaje and Sanwo-Olu, alongside candidates of other parties, will slug it out in the governorship election slated for next year.
In an earlier interview, Agbaje expressed optimism that he would win the governorship election if he became the candidate of the PDP.
He had also said that the recent defections from the party in the state would not affect him if he picked the ticket.
“It is the people of Lagos State that will decide. The issues in the party will not impact negatively on votes. Most Nigerians now vote for individuals rather than party,” he contended.
Born March 2, 1957, the pharmacists cum politician Agbaje contested the 2015 election in the state and lost to the Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Based on his affiliation with the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Agbaje joined the Action Congress (AC) – his first political party.
In 2007, Agbaje who had initially aspired to contest for the governor of Lagos State on the platform of the Action Congress (AC) left the party to join the Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA
Widely believed to have conducted the best campaign in 2007, Agbaje contested in gubernatorial election on the Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA) platform, but eventually, alongside other major contenders – Musiliu Obanikoro of PDP, Femi Pedro of Labour Party (Nigeria) – lost to Babatunde Raji Fashola of the Action Congress (AC).
He left DPA in 2011 and joined then ruling party, PDP following the deregistration of DPA by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
On October 29, 2014, he bought the PDP nomination form and on December 8, 2014, he emerged as the governorship candidate of party having defeated Musiliu Obanikoro in the primary.