ONDO 2024: “APC DIDN’T CONDUCT GOVERNORSHIP PRIMARY POLL IN ONDO”, SAYS OKE CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION 

Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, Campagin Organisation has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed to conduct a governorship primary election in all the 203 wards in the state. 

Oke is one of the governorship aspirants who are seeking the APC ticket for the November 16, governorship election in the state.

It added that members of the election committee headed by the Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo only take a late “stroll” out of their hotel rooms, where they were dining and winning.

A statement issued and signed by its spokesman, Mr Ojo Oyewamide also revealed that election materials were not distributed to the 203 wards across the State, as expected and assured by the election committee. 

The Statement added that “Members of APC, who are eligible to vote for their preferred aspirants, did not have the opportunity to do so. Many of them queued in the sun till 3:00 pm, waiting for the conduct of the shadow poll.

“At another instance, regrettably enough, the election officers that were to conduct the exercise in the wards are known supporters of one of the aspirants. These people were kept in one hotel where they were to perpetrate all sorts of evil, to compromise the process of choosing the candidate of our party.

“Virtually all the guidelines put in place to ensure the integrity and smooth conduct of the nomination exercise, reinforced by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who stood in for HE Usman Ododo at the stakeholders’ engagement held on Friday 19th April, 2024, were violated by the election committee.

“In a return to the dark days of thuggery in Ondo State, our supporters, and supporters of other aspirants, were beaten, intimidated and chased away from most of the designated voting centres by known political thugs and secret cult members hired by one of the aspirants. This  level of violence has turned hospitals to the abode of our supporters and other members of our party.

“The ignominious attack of a senior correspondent with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Tayo Ikujuni, by a cabinet member in Ondo State, Saka Yusuf Ogunleye, was symptomatic of the climate of fear and terror visited on innocent but supportive members of APC across the state.  

“It is instructive that Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, has directed Media Houses and professionals in Ondo State to halt the coverage of the activities of the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye. 

“Therefore, we like to state, very categorically, that no primary election was conducted by the APC in Ondo state today, Saturday, 20, 2024. Rather, what happened was shameful, and it constituted a serious dent on the image of our dear party.

“We expected that a decent nomination exercise, characterised by peace, freedom of our members to make their choices and fairness, would be conducted. We waited patiently for it, however, what we got was heart-rendering. 

“We, therefore, appeal to all our supporters across the eighteen local government areas of the state to remain peaceful and calm as we wait further briefing from our members across the state and our principal”.