A fresh crisis is brewing in the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC) over the outcome of the Senatorial primaries conducted last weekend and the list of delegates used for the conduct of the election of the party in all the three senatorial districts of the state.
Kicking against the result of the primary, an aspirant in Ondo North senatorial district, Chief Alex Ajipe, while addressing journalists in Akure on Sunday, expressed displeasure over the process and the outcome of the Saturday Ondo North Senatorial primaries.
Ajipe, who described the whole process held in Owo, the headquarters of Owo Local Government as sham and show of shame, said the election was marred with irregularities, calling on the national leadership of the party to ensure credible conduct of fresh primary elections in the zone.
According to him, fake delegates participated in the election, noting that the party failed to make available the list of the party delegates before the election, while noting that the list presented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was different from what was used for the election.
Ajipe maintained that fake results were allocated to the aspirants without proper conduct of the primary and said the process leading to the conduct of the primary election violated the electoral act and the APC constitution.
He stated that he visited all the 57 political wards in the North senatorial district in preparation for the primary but to his chagrin strange faces were accredited as delegates from all the various wards for the primary election.
He said “under the APC’s constitution, the list of delegates supposed to be known to aspirants seven days before the primary election. But what did we see in Ondo North? The delegates that showed up were not elected at any congress of the APC.
“I saw market women, petrol sellers and other artisans who were paraded as delegates. These were the people that determined the fate of aspirants who paid millions to obtain nomination and expression of interest forms from the party.
“Election is a process. The process supposed to start with ward congress to elect five ad-hoc delegates. There was no ward congress held to determine the list of delegates to vote in the primary that produced the supposed winner.
“We supposed to know the delegates at least 48 hours before the primary. The faces we saw at the wards are different from the voters who came to vote in yesterday primary. The election was nothing but charade. To prevent a situation of Zamfara State, we should remedy the situation now
“The election should be cancelled and the new primary election should be conducted. I reject the outcome of the primary. There should be equity, fairness and nobody should be denied his or right to contest.”
Ajipe alleged that his life and that of family members was being threatened because of his ambition, adding that “I will approach the appeal panel of the party and failure to get justice might lead to litigation in the law court”
Also speaking, the Director General of the Campaign Organisation, Tolu Babaleye said this election conducted in the district was nothing but charade and marred with malpractices.
He added that the electoral act and constitution stipulated how primaries should be conducted and these rules were violated in the state.
It will be recalled that Jimoh Ibrahim, (Ondo South), Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central) and Jide Ipinsagba (Ondo North) were declared as winners of the APC senatorial primaries held in the state on Saturday.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
How Workplace Sexual Harassment Forces Many Out Of Their Dream Jobs
Despite several laws prohibiting sexual harassment in Nigeria, many victims are forced to quit their dream jobs while others suffer depression as a result of unsolicited sexual advances from colleagues. FAITH ADEOYE reports.
If you want to keep your job and excel in your career, you need to do as I say,” Janet Abegunde’s boss said to her one fateful day. Miss Abegunde, a 24-year-old accountant who had just gotten her first job in one of the new generation banks, said she fell into depression after her boss sexually harassed her.
Viral Voice Note On WhatsApp Billing False