By: Ade Phillips
In Akure, Ondo State, discontented members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took to the streets to voice their grievances against what they perceive as irregularities and bias in the conduct of ward primaries held across the state.
Intended to select the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the November 16, 2024 election, the primaries were marred by a lack of election materials, prompting calls for their cancellation.
The protesters, mainly supporters of aspirant Olushola Oke, converged at the APC state secretariat in Akure, brandishing placards and demanding the removal of the primary election committee chairman, Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo.
They decried the process as “daylight robbery” and implored the APC’s national secretariat to intervene to prevent a crisis in the state.
Allegations were made that no ward primaries occurred, citing failure to adhere to guidelines issued by the party’s national secretariat.
Concerns were raised that imposing an unpopular candidate could jeopardize the party’s prospects in the upcoming gubernatorial election.
Despite assurances from Ododo that polls would be conducted in all 13 wards of Okitipupa Local Government Area by Sunday noon, tensions remain high among party members.
“Having received reports of the primary election from the 203 wards in the 18 local governments of Ondo State, the primary election committee has decided that election will be conducted in all the 13 Wards of Okitipupa local government with total validated registered members of 9,515, because of validated reports that the exercise did not hold in the local government due to late arrival of materials and personnel as a result of logistics challenges.
“Election in Okitipupa local government shall be conducted 12 noon on Sunday 21st April 2024. The final collation of the results will be done thereafter,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, two aspirants and agents of two other contestants raised concerns about the conduct of the primary.
They alleged that based on the conduct of the exercise, plans were made to favour certain aspirants.
Olugbenga Edema, who is one of the 16 aspirants in the race for the APC ticket, decried delays in the distribution of materials and called on the party to investigate the process.
Rotimi Williams, the agent of Oke, took a similar position.
Shola Ajisafe, the agent of Adewale Akinterinwa, backed the narrative by Edema and Willams.
“My people have been calling me. No material has been distributed to them,” Ajisafe who is from Ondo North said, accusing Governor Ododo of working in favour of a candidate.
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