Ondo APC Primary: Aspirant kicks, expresses concerns over delegates’ list

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3 years ago

As it is less than a week to the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, one of the House of Representatives aspirants for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, Dr Abiola Oshodi, has raised the alarm over an alleged hijack of the ward delegates election, saying a lot of his supporters have been disenfranchised and unable to vote.

This was contained in a statement signed by Alihyu Hussein Taye, on behalf of Dr Abiola Oshodi Campaign Organization, who described the development as worrisome, alleging that the delegate list has been doctored to favour one of the aspirants in the race for the House of Representatives ticket.

The campaign group added that some ‘unscrupulous elements’ within the party have concluded all plans on how to hijack the forthcoming delegates’ congress in favour of their leader who is also an aspirant for the same seat.

Taye further alleged that the main opponent for the ticket in the forthcoming primary had fraudulently hijacked the entire process, shutting out, and disenfranchising Oshodi’s supporters.

He explained that “the election to elect delegates in the forthcoming primary election of the All Progressive Congress ought to have taken place on Monday the 17th of May and on Tuesday, the 18th of May 2022. The elected delegates are supposed to complement the statutory delegates in the forthcoming primary election for the House of Representatives taking place on May 24, 2022

”To our greatest surprise, party members who thronged the venues of the congress in Owo/Ose Federal Constituency were disappointed as the election did not hold This, to us, is against the dictates of the National Leadership of our great party, the All Progressive Congress”

He, however, stated that “investigation revealed that particularly, our main opponent in the forthcoming primary election has fraudulently hijacked the entire processes.

“We further got briefed that their camp is now writing the lists in their hideouts. This action is indicative that under a normal democratic process, they are aware they will lose the election”

He said despite the assurance by the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu that the party would ensure a level playing field, some party leaders have concluded all arrangements to shut out the group and its aspirant in Owo/Ose Federal Constituency at the moment

He said the alarm became necessary in order to draw the attention of the state governor and the national leadership of the party to the ugly development and call to order all unscrupulous elements working against the party to order to avoid monopolisation of the processes of the conduct of the Congress in the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency

The statement read: “we want to advise these undemocratic elements to stop dragging the good name of our revered governor in the murky waters of desperate politicking.

“Anything that will pitch the party against its members must be avoided at all cost. Our understanding of democracy is not the one in which an individual or group of individuals must force their wills on the people. The democracy we know is the one that allows the majority of party members to decide who represents them.

“The party is being alerted that the process to conduct a free, fair and credible primary election in Owo/Ose Federal Constituency is about to be scuttled. It is time party leadership rose to defend and uphold their promises. To be forewarned is to be forewarned.”

Speaking on the development, the aspirant, Dr Oshodi explained that ” What we are being told is that there was supposed to be delegates election today and a lot of our supporters were disenfranchised which I am reporting to Nigerians.

“I don’t want to believe that the governor of the state knows anything about this, neither do I want to believe that the National Executive of our great part, APC knows anything about it but this is a medium to tell that there are some anomalies going on in Owo/Ose Federal Constituency and we are not going to sit back and allow rape on democracy to be accepted

“A lot of congress members that are prepared and participate in the congress to voted for have been disenfranchised and we are not happy about this but we are looking at the legality of this and whether we can still resolve things or maybe we might have to challenge the entire process in the court”

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