‘Show of shame’, Akinterinwa rejects Ondo APC primary election

The Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Organisation has described the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo on Saturday as a show of shame.

Mr Wale Akinterinwa, a former Commissioner in the government of the late Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu, is one of the 16 aspirants seeking the party’s ticket to contest the Nov. 16 governorship election.

The spokesperson of the organisation, Mr Segun Ajiboye, in a statement on Sunday in Akure, said that no election was held in the state by the Governor Usman Ododo-led primary election committee.

“Without any fear of contradiction, we state here that no election was held in any part of Ondo on Saturday to elect the candidate of the APC.

“It is on record with incontrovertible evidence that nothing in the semblance of a primary election was held in all the 203 wards in Ondo.

“At best, what can be said to have happened was that the committee chairman, Gov. Ododo, arrived in the state at about 8 am on Saturday to write the result of an election that was never conducted.

“Saturday’s election presented our dear party with a rare opportunity to endear itself to the people of the state.

“All that was needed was for us to organise an election that would be hailed by all, even the opposition.

“But we bungled the opportunity with the sham organised by the electoral committee,” he stated.

Ajiboye explained that the committee’s assurance to conduct a free and fair primary election was dashed and not fulfilled.

“It was not surprising that what Gov. Ododo did on Saturday was far distant from what was promised.

“However, what was surprising was the audacity and the indecent manner the election committee actualised its plot, which was scripted and directed to favour a particular candidate,” he stated.

According to him, never before in the history of the APC has it witnessed anything close to what was put on display on Saturday.

“The supportive and hardworking members of the APC were robbed and made to understand or believe that their votes do not count,” Ajiboye said.

He, however, commended the resilience and perseverance of the supporters of Akinterinwa across the 203 electoral wards in the state, assuring them that their efforts were noted.

“We, therefore, most respectfully appeal to all our supporters to remain calm and peaceful, law-abiding, and conduct themselves most responsibly while we explore legal and democratic ways to register our grievances.

“We assure you that our principal, Wale Akinterinwa remains absolutely undaunted and deeply committed to the tenets of democracy.

“Let the world know that this is not about Wale Akinterinwa. It is our contribution to deepen democracy and for a better life for our people.

“It is about the future of our state,” the organisation’s spokesperson said.