Ondo 2020: APC clears 12 aspirants to contest primaries

All the 12 aspirants jostling for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have been cleared by the party’s screening committee.

The party’s screening panel chaired by Tijjani Tumsa, had on July 8 and 9, screened the state’s incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, alongside 11 aspirants at an undisclosed venue in Abuja.

Contrary to the speculation that one of the aspirants had been disqualified by the panel during the process, the party’s deputy spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, quoting the report from the screening exercise submitted by the panel to the party, said none of the 12 aspirants has been disqualified from the race.

“The APC screening committee cleared 12 aspirants to contest the party’s forthcoming primary election,” Mr Nabena said in a statement issued late Wednesday night.

He listed the aspirants in the primary election slated for July 20 to include Mr Akeredolu, Joseph Iji, Segun Abraham, Olayide Adelami, Kekemeke Isaac and Olusola Oke.

Others are Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Odimayo John, Olajumoke Anifowoshe, Awodeyi Akinsehinwa, Olubukola Olarogha and Nathaniel Adojutelegan.

Meanwhile, 11 aspirants, apart from Mr Akeredolu, have rejected the indirect mode of primary adopted; they called for direct mode of election.

They made this known in a letter signed by the aspirants and addressed to the party on Friday in Abuja.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed October 10 for the governorship election in Ondo.