Two chairmanship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti state have kicked against the moves of the party to impose candidates ahead of the December 7 council poll in the state.
Those who protested were the former chairman of Ado Ekiti council area, Mrs Tosin Aluko and Tajudeen Gidado, who are Chairmanship aspirants.
The party suspended primaries in Ado, Ikole and Ekiti East local governments on Saturday over alleged security threat and rumour that some members were planning to disrupt the process in a violent manner.
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The two aspirants who besieged the party Secretariat alongside their supporters rejected the alleged consensus process that produced Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi as the candidate.
Gidado said the moves by the party was a flagrant violation of the party’s constitution, which stipulated that there must be indirect primary when consensus option fails.
He said,” It is our candid opinion that some games are being played by some people within the hierarchy of our great party. If as the end of the day, democracy is not allowed to take its proper place, the interest and integrity of our great party will be at jeopardy.
” On our own part, we will not support any attempt by anyone or group of persons to rubbish an election that we have duly worked hard for. Anything contrary to a free and fair election, we will not be allowed.”
On her part, Mrs Aluko who revealed that she attended a meeting where the issue of consensus was discussed, said she rejected and advised to allow for a free and transparent primary.
She called on the national and state leadership of the APC to rescue the state from those she said are out to destroy the party in the state.
“I and Gidado rejected their pleas and we opted for the primary election. It was after we left the meeting, that the deputy governor convened the meeting of the so-called Stakeholders which was alien to the Constitution of the party, and the wards chairmen to come and sign that they have picked Omotunde Fajuyi as a consensus candidate.
” I want to use this medium to appeal to the leadership of the party at the state and national levels to rescue our party from those who are bent to destroy it. We must allow Internal Democracy to blossom in our party. I am still very much in the race and fully prepared for a free, fair and credible election,” she stated.
While reacting, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state Hon Ade Ajayi, said the party was not interested in imposing candidates.
Ajayi said the party has set up intervention and reconciliation committees to interface with the aggrieved aspirants on how to resolve the crisis trailing the conduct of the primaries in the three councils.