Aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Ondo State gathered at the party secretariat on Sunday to demand the cancellation of the governorship primary election held on Saturday. They also called for the suspension of Kogi State governor, Ahmed Ododo, whose seven-man committee supervised the exercise.
The demands were voiced by supporters of one of the governorship aspirants of the party, Olusola Oke. The APC primary, held on Saturday across 203 wards, was reportedly riddled with alleged discrepancies, the non-availability of election materials, and instances of violence.
Protesters brandished placards with inscriptions such as “No election in Ondo,” “APC primary electoral officers failed to show up in all wards in Ondo State,” “We demand fairness and justice in APC primary election in Ondo,” and “We’re calling for a fresh primary election,” among others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the Director-General of the Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation in Ondo Central Senatorial District, Adeniran Oyebade, stated that no primary election occurred in wards across the state. He accused the Ododo-led committee of conducting a sham exercise against the will of party members.
Oyebade emphasized the need for Ododo’s suspension from the party, citing election irregularities as a serious offense. He urged for the annulment of the election, denouncing it as inconclusive due to its illegitimacy.
Describing the primary as a blatant act of fraud, Oyebade stressed that the committee merely fabricated results without conducting the exercise. He expressed concern that the committee’s actions could incite unrest in the state and emphasized the rejection of any results declared by Ododo.
Oyebade alleged that no ward primary was conducted and criticized the committee for failing to adhere to the guidelines provided by the party’s national secretariat. He asserted that materials were not distributed to any wards, and the purported results were concocted.
He insisted on the selection of the most popular candidate, one deeply connected with the people of Ondo State. He rejected the idea of a candidate chosen arbitrarily by the committee.
In contrast, the Kogi State governor defended the primary, asserting its transparency and credibility. He expressed confidence in the party’s ability to produce a unified candidate for the upcoming November 2024 governorship election in Ondo State.
