The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the primary election to produce a candidate for Akoko Northeast/ Northwest federal constituency of Ondo State deepened on Sunday as one of the aspirants, Olugbenga Araoyinbo asked the leadership of the party to declare him the winner of the election.

It was reported that Ifeoluwa Ehindero, the son of the erstwhile Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sunday Ehindero, was declared as the candidate of the party for the bye-election scheduled for February 3 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Ehindero had polled 105 votes out of the 106 accredited votes in the primary held penultimate weekend.

But not satisfied with the primary, Araoyinbo petitioned the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, alleging that the exercise was not in compliance with the party’s regulation.

He noted in the copy of the petition obtained by our reporter on Sunday that the primary that produced Ehindero was fraught with irregularities, saying it did not reflect the wish of the party members at the federal constituency.

He, however, pleaded that the exercise should be canceled while demanding a fresh primary to produce the party’s candidate for the bye-election.

He urged the party National leadership led by Ganduje to listen to his plea to prevent dragging the matter to court to challenge the nomination of Ehindero as the candidate which may mar the chances of the party in the February bye-election in the federal constituency.

According to reports, the Akoko Northeast/ Northwest federal constituency seat became vacant after Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was occupying the seat in the House of Representatives, was appointed as Minister of Interior by President Bola Tinubu and subsequently resigned from the Green Chamber. (Daily Trust)

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