Ekiti APC reverses self, adopts direct primary

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, has aborted its plan of using indirect mode of electing its candidates for the State and National assembly elections.

The party had earlier insisted on indirect primaries as opposed to a direct shadow election, an action which drew the ire of many of the aspirants to the various legislative offices.

The directive by the State working committee of the party that it was going to employ a delegate election, led to the withdrawal of Senator Ayo Arise from the senatorial race, while at the same time led to two days of protests by members of the party.

However, the party, on Wednesday, changed its mind on the issue and reversed itself on a decision it had taken on Tuesday.

A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary in the State, Mr Ade Ajayi, on Wednesday, said the primary had been shifted till Thursday, pointing that the party would now adopt the direct system.

Ajayi said the primary election would be held across the 177 wards in the State.

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Ajayi said: “The National Working Committee had humbly directed that the mode of primary will be direct and it will be held on October 4 across the 177 wards.

“We thereby enjoin all party members to participate in the exercise.”

The leadership of the party in the State had cited insecurity as the reading for settling for indirect primaries.

But aspirants such as Bimbo Daramola, Dr Olusegun Osinkolu, Mr Yemi Olayinka, Toyin Ajakaye and Kayode Babade, who kicked against the party’s decision, accused the State executive of the party led by Chief Paul Omotosho, of alleged compromise and plot to impose preferred candidates by a leader of the party.

The approval of the indirect mode of primary had led to protest from contenders, which had made it impossible for the primary elections to be held since Tuesday.

When supporters of the aggrieved supported stormed the party secretariat, they removed all the flags in front of the building.
Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti on the issue, Daramola, who spoke on behalf of other aggrieved APC members, accused the party’s State Executive of allegedly doing the bidding of the governor-elect, claiming that it was a ploy to edge them out of the primary under the excuse of indirect primaries, contrary to the decision of the national secretariat.

Daramola said: “It was bad for the APC that just won the governorship election to be behaving in this manner. We were supposed to be given the opportunity to test our popularity in the primaries, rather than resorting to
imposition.

“The Deputy National Chairman (South), the governor-elect and other leaders of our party told us at the resident of Chief Niyi Adebayo that direct primaries would be used to pick the candidates.

“It was however unfortunate to receive a message on Sunday night that the earlier assurance at the meeting held with all aspirants had changed to indirect primaries.

“We have all been working on the agreement of direct primaries. It, therefore, became difficult to identify the so-called delegates because we don’t have access to the list.”