No fewer than four top governorship aspirants of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday called for cancellation of the ongoing primary election of the party over alleged fraud perpetrated by the seven-man APC primary electoral Committee led by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State.
The aspirants who also asked the National leadership of the party to as a matter of urgency remove the Chairman of the APC primary electoral Committee, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, noted that they no longer trust his ability to conduct a free and fair election following the current controversy that is trailing the exercise.
The aspirants are Barrister Olugbenga Edema, Wale Akinterinwa, represented by Barrister Sola Ajisafe, Chief Olusola Oke, represented by Rotimi Ogunleye and Prof. Dayo Faduyile, represented by Paul Onoyemofe.
A total of 171,922 accredited members would vote in the ongoing exercise, scheduled to hold in 203 wards in 18 local government areas, with 16 aspirants, including the governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, contesting.
Addressing Newsmen at the BON Hotel in Akure, the state capital, faulted the exercise and warned that the development of not careful might hamper the outcome of the shadow election on April 20 and the November governorship election.
Edema said, ,”At the stakeholders meeting held at St Thomas event centre, the secretary of that committee, Senator Ovie Omo-agege said the collection of voting materials which include the membership register, and others will be distributed to the electoral officers whose names he announced to us in each of the 203 wards of Ondo State.
“That they should come to BON Hotel to collect the materials and that accreditation will start by 10 am, to be completed by 1 PM while voting proper will start by 1 PM and end by 2 PM, the announcement of the result.
“As I am talking to you now, this is 10:40 am. We’ve been here since 6 am, believing that our people will collect the materials but unfortunately, at about 9:30 am, His Excellency, Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo came out to tell us that materials have been distributed. At what time? In what places? We don’t know!
“Unfortunately, for him, the returning officers and electoral officers of my ward, Mahin Ward II in Ilaje local government are here and unable to collect any materials.
“What we are asking for is a credible election. So, we are asking the leadership of the party to look into this. If they’re not ready for this election, they should postpone it and the right thing should be done.”
Also, Sola Ajisafe, who spoke on behalf of Akinterinwa said; “for APC to bring Ododo to Ondo state is a low to our party and state, and position is that no primary election has taken place, no election materials has left here, and we are saying that the leadership of the party should do the needful by sending another neutral person, just like they did in Edo state to come and conduct another primary election where the good people of Ondo state will freely exercise their franchise to pick their candidate.
“If the leadership of the party failed to do the needful, then there is a way we will react and we are going to react accordingly. If any results are announced, we are telling the leadership of the party including President Bola Tinubu that no election took place in Ondo state, and no materials were distributed for us to pick our preferred candidate.
Mr.Rotimi Ogunleye, while also speaking on behalf of Olusola Oke said; “we got here around 6:30am, we don’t know when and where the election materials was sent out from this place to Ondo South and North senatorial districts, the truth of the matter is that there was no materials sent out.
“Why can’t they follow the due process, the national leadership of the party should call Ododo to order, they should follow the guidelines they released.”
