Two more aspirants in last Saturday’s governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have filed petitions at the party’s Primary Appeal Committee, headed by former Bauchi State Governor Abdullahi Abubakar.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and Folakemi Omogoroye filed their petitions against the announcement of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the primary.
Previous aspirants who had filed appeals are Wale Akinterinwa, Jimi Odimayo, and Olugbenga Edema.
In their petitions, Ibrahim and Omogoroye claimed that the governorship primary was marred with irregularities and fell short of appreciable standard.
They called for the cancellation of the primary and conduct of a fresh primary.
Omogoroye said: “I am urging you to cancel the election and order a fresh election in which all the laid down guidelines for a credible election will be followed and a level-playing field will be assured and ensured for all players in the election.
“Anything short of this is an open endorsement of the robbery of Saturday by the leadership of our party.”
“Ground One: non-compliance with your rules. I paid N100 million for the validation of over 40,000 party members and those members were not allowed to be revalidated across Ondo State. This was because no voters’ register was made available in the wards to which members could be validated.
“On Ground Two on provision of electoral materials: No electoral materials were provided for the conduct of the election, the local government electoral officials were kept in the hotel during the period of the election for several hours and only result sheets were given to them. The ward electoral officers were provided by one of the aspirants – Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“My agents were not accredited in all the wards, and they did not sign election the result sheet since none was made available to them.
“I received in my house in the village, Igbotako, at 7 p.m on the day of election, the local government’s Returning Officer and members of his committee. They informed me that they were in my house to capture my vote, but I sent them away since my house is not a polling venue. The returning officer said he was instructed from above.
“Based on the four grounds stated above, the election should be cancelled and re-conducted immediately.”
None of the other 15 aspirants that participated in the primary has congratulated Governor Aiyedatiwa.
Also, Governor Aiyedatiwa yesterday paid a “thank you” visit to the APC secretariat in Akure, the state capital.
He was received by the party’s State Chairman Ade Adetimehin, who promised that the party would support and mobilise for him to win the November election.
Accompanied by some party leaders and supporters, the governor received cheers from residents as his motorcade made way into the party’s office.
He was received by members of the State Working Committee (SWC), led by Adetimehin, who said the governor’s visit was a sign of unity within the party.
In a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the state chairman said: “A primary election in APC is a family affair. We have elected our governorship candidate. Now that the primary is over, we must remain the same progressive family and we must all come together for the election in November.
“The last time the governor was here, he came as an aspirant, but today he has come as the candidate of our party. Now that our candidate has emerged, all other aspirants and party leaders must join hands to support him for the success of the party in the November election.”
[TheNation]