APC group alleges plot to rig guber primary in favour of Gov Aiyedatiwa

The Ondo Vanguard for Good Governance, a group within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday alleged that the officials of the party were not adhering to the guidelines of the APC ahead of the party’s primary coming up on Saturday.

The group’s coordinator, Tade Ojo, in a statement noted that the delegate congress scheduled to hold on Monday was held by the party officials that were sent from the national secretariat of the party to conduct the exercise.

He stressed that the delegate congress should precede the primary in accordance with guidelines of the party.

He asserted that the national officers allegedly violated the party’s guidelines in a bid to rig the forthcoming primary in favour of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa

Sixteen aspirants have been cleared to participate in the Ondo APC governorship primary scheduled for Saturday, April 20.

Ojo said: “We have come to tell the entire people of Ondo State, the national leadership of the APC and all Nigerians that all the processes that ought to lead to a free, fair and credible primary election in Ondo State have been violated by the party officials sent by the APC to Ondo State.

“Members of the public are, hereby, put on notice that the APC is again treading the path of perversion and corruption of the electoral process, and it will have itself to blame if the hawks at work are allowed to have their way.

READ ALSO: ‘Let’s avoid another Bayelsa drama’, Ondo APC guber aspirant calls for probe into Aiyedatiwa’s certificate

“It is worrisome that the delegate congress that ought to have been held on Monday, 15th of April, was not held in the 203 designated centres for the exercise. Members of the APC, who obtained forms and offered themselves for the exercise, were not allowed to participate because the delegate congress was never held.

“This undemocratic action heralded their plots to rig the primary election. Having realised that the governor is not popular among the APC members in Ondo State, the state governor and these agents of destabilisation have resolved to simply concoct the results of the primary election, and award arbitrary figures to the governor as the winner of the primary election.”

The Ondo State APC Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, however, denied the group’s allegation. He stated that the delegate congress was held on Monday, but was delayed following the late arrival of party officials from the national secretariat.

Kalejaiye said: “We had the delegate congress yesterday (Monday). Those from the national secretariat that were supposed to come on Sunday had their flight cancelled, so they were delayed. They came yesterday and started the process but they must first meet with the committee that would coordinate the delegate congress.

“They finished the meeting with the committee and they also met the representatives of all the aspirants. So the exercise was not cancelled. We have also informed INEC, but they don’t want to start without letting the governorship aspirants know.”

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