Gov Aiyedatiwa leads in Ondo APC gov primary amid protests

Gov Aiyedatiwa leads in Ondo APC gov primary amid protests

As the collation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election results commences in Ondo State, the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, seems to be coasting to victory.

Aiyedatiwa, who contested Saturday’s governorship primary election alongside 15 other aspirants, is in early lead as results continued to trickle in from polling units across the state.

Although the seven-man primary electoral committee of the party led by Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State was yet to announce the winner of the exercise at the time of this report, it was gathered that the committee may eventually announce the governor as a winner based on the reality on the ground.

To retain his seat, the incumbent is seeking the ticket of the party alongside 15 other aspirants, among whom are; Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Jimi Odimayo, Jimoh Ibrahim, and APC National Vice Chairman (South West) Isaacs Kekemeke.

Others are Wale Akinterinwa, Olugbenga Edema,  Olusola Oke (SAN), Olamide Ohunyeye, Morayo Lebi, Oladiran Iyantan, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Mayowa Akinfolarin, and Ifeoluwa Oyedele, as well as two female aspirants, Funmilayo Adekojo and Funke Omogoroye.

A total of 171,922 accredited members of the party took part in the direct primary election exercise held in 203 wards of 18 local government areas in the state.

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However, the primary election was not without violence and discrepancies, as some aspirants alleged that voting did not take place in most of the 203 wards.

Addressing journalists at BON Hotel in Akure, the state capital, on Saturday, the aggrieved aspirants called for the cancellation of the governorship primary election of the party over alleged fraud perpetrated by the Electoral Committee led by Governor Ododo of Kogi State.

The aspirants, who also asked the national leadership of the party to, as a matter of urgency, remove the chairman of the Electoral Committee, noted that they no longer trust in his ability to conduct a free and fair election following the current controversy trailing the exercise.

But the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, commended stakeholders and members of the party in Ondo state for their orderly conduct and massive turnout during the direct primary election in the state.

Governor Ododo gave the commendation while receiving reports from members of the APC Governorship Primary Election committee, security agencies and other stakeholders who monitored the conduct of the election in different parts of the 18 local government areas in the state.

According to Governor Ododo, “I have received reports from our committee members and security agencies as well as NGOs monitoring the election including video footage and I can say that the process has been transparent and we are going to produce a candidate that will unify the APC ahead of the November, 2024 governorship election in the state.”

Responding to questions over delay in arrival of materials in some wards and local government areas, Governor Ododo said he was certain that the delay had no adverse effect on the conduct of the primary election.

The Kogi State Governor also expressed confidence that concerns noticed in the revalidated membership list would not have any major impact on the outcome of the primary election, stressing that the committee is well guided by the APC guidelines for the nomination of candidates for general elections and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Governor Ododo called on the aspirants and their supporters to see the primary election as a contest among brothers and sisters in one family seeking to make the family better as a candidate of the party in the November, 2024 Governorship election in Ondo State.

Gov Aiyedatiwa leads in Ondo APC gov primary amid protests