APC reschedules botched Ekiti Gov primary

The All Progressives Congress has fixed a new date to conduct the Ekiti State governorship primary that was called off after it was marred by violence on Saturday.

The party has slated this Friday to re-conduct the exercise to pick it’s flagbearer for the state’s governorship election slated for July 14, 2018.

This came after the party cancelled the last Saturday primary following a marathon meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, which started on Monday and ended on Tuesday.

The party’s decision was announced to newsmen by the APC national publicity secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, at a press briefing at the party’s national secretariat, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

He said that party considered the report submitted to it by the Governor Tanko Al-Makura-led panel sent to conduct the exercise, to arise at its decision, adding that the party also disqualified agents of the aspirants identified as perpetrators of the violence that led to the disruption of the Saturday primary from participating in the fresh exercise.

“Perhaps, more importantly, is that the exercise of Saturday is cancelled and would now be conducted this Friday, 11th of May, 2018,” he said.

Read also: EKITI 2018: Fayose proves influence as deputy records resounding victory in PDP primary

On whether there would be a new panel to conduct the exercise, Abdullahi said, “The existing primary election committee is maintained, except the secretary, who will now be substituted.”

According to him, the committee’s secretary was not dropped as a result of any infraction, but because “Virtually all the aspirants complained that the secretary has a close relationship with one of their colleagues and so we decided to drop him in order to guard the integrity of the process and not because he was found to have compromised.”

On the agents that were disqualified he said, “All identified unruly agents that participated in the suspended primary election of May 5, 2018, are disqualified from participating in the rescheduled primary as agents.

“Accordingly, the following individuals are hereby disqualified from participating as agents or partaking in the rescheduled primary in whatever capacity: Ayodeji Omowaye, Rotimi Faleye, Kayode Afolabi, Oladele Ademola Samuel, Oyetunde Ojo, Akintade Olayisade and Temitope Adewumi.

“All agent tags must bear the names of the aspirants they represent. All the agents in the rescheduled primary election are hereby barred from coming to the voting arena with their mobile phones.”

 

 

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