The Coalition of Civil Society Observer Groups has called for the cancellation of the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State ahead of the state gubernatorial election.

Recall that the incumbent state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had polled 48,569 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mayowa Akinfolarin, who garned15,343 out of 95,178 valid votes.

The group, In a statement signed by the Team Leader, Comrade Eleojo Emem and the Team Secretary, Oluwafemi Kayode, said declaring the election inconclusive in selected areas was a tactical means devised by the Election Committee to give themselves a soft landing after a disappointing and disgraceful election.

“We the Coalition of Civil Society Observer Groups for the 20^th April 2024 Ondo State APC Gubernatorial Primary Election, having carefully followed the entire process of the election with respect to the Party.

“While the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was silent on their individual preferred and anointed aspirants, the State Working Committee (SWC) members were divided along interest lines due to their open display of interest and campaign for a preferred aspirant.

“This led to a serious division among them and coordination of activities ahead of the primaries at state levels hampered grossly.

“The late arrival of the Party’s Election Committee to Ondo state, less than 24 hours to such a crucial election and convening a stakeholders/aspirants meeting eve to an election when aspirants and political stakeholders were already expected to be at their various localities for the election, was generally rumoured to be a tactical strategy to keep aspirants and stakeholders especially those from very far areas away from their locality while mal-practices are carried out in their place behind them.

“But the non-compliance to the guidelines for the election and the modalities as was been explained by the Secretary of the Election Committee His Excellency Senator Ovie Omo-Agege during the stakeholders meeting was not only surprisingly shocking and disappointing but also a deliberate sabotage against the party and also an attempt to further ridicule the party as was the case in Edo state recently,” the statement said.

On the mode of the primary, the group said in line with our relevant electoral laws, it is the sole decision of the party to decide on the type of primaries to be adopted, and the APC adopted the direct method of primaries and timely communicated same to all the aspirants and party stakeholders.

The Observer groups however said one critical issue that emerged during the APC primary in Ondo State was the limited awareness among party members regarding the location of the primary and its processes/modalities.

“There was no open distribution of election materials to their various Districts and Local Government Areas. Therefore, election materials and personnel were not sited at various centers visited by our team, especially in Ondo South and Ondo North.

“This led to several individuals appointing themselves as Electoral and Returning Officers at Wards and LGA levels just to appease the eagerly waiting crowd of party members, which led to violent resistance by some opposing supporters of other aspirants resulting to fight. EG: Wards 04, 08, 10, and 11 all in Akure South, the entire Wards in Okitikpukpa, etc.

“Aspirants who had paid for access to the party voters register, as part of their preparations for the primary, faced an unexpected hurdle – the unavailability of the register. This setback impeded their ability to effectively engage with and mobilize potential voters within the party.

“The absence of the required voter registers not only hindered the aspirants’ campaign strategies but also raised questions about the transparency and efficiency of the registration system within the party.

In its recommendation, the group said “the APC Governorship primary election of 20^th April 2024 in Ondo State be completely cancelled and a fresh transparent, credible and all-inclusive primary election be immediately conducted within the next few days/hours considering INEC timetable and in total compliance with the party guideline and Constitution.

“The immediate dissolution of Alh. Usman Ododo led the Ondo State Governorship Primary Election Committee for their display of gross incompetence and inexperience in election activities, management and conducts, and open show of bias and favouritism which is against the mandate of their assignment, thereby rubbishing the integrity of the party in the entire South West.

“Besides, appointing Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State who is still studying governance and party politics, for such a critical assignment in a state like Ondo is rather a slight on the people of Ondo State.

“Swift order from the National Leadership of the party to Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, mandating him to stop parading himself as the candidate of the party pending when a credible, transparent and acceptable primary election of the party will be conducted within the little given timeframe”. (Nigerian Tribune)

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