The rescheduled primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the House of Representatives in Ondo State were held on Saturday, with mixed outcomes and reactions from aspirants.
While some denounced the conduct of the primaries, others said they were fair and peaceful as mandated by the party’s constitution.
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Most areas in the state witnessed a peaceful atmosphere during the election. There were, however, concerns raised about the exercise in Okitipupa/Irele federal constituency.
In Akure, the state capital, the Chairman of Akure South Local Government Area, Gbenga Fasua, said the APC members conducted themselves responsibly without violence or coercion, while voters freely expressed their opinions and preferences during the exercise.
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He noted that the turnout across the local government area was massive and impressive, adding that the process remained free, fair and credible in all the wards visited.
“Akure people have a culture of comportment and orderly conduct without disruption,” he said.
”People came out peacefully to express their views and make their choices.”
An aspirant contesting for the Akure South/Akure North Federal Constituency seat, Omowunmi Olatunji-Ohwovoriole, also applauded the conduct of the primary, describing the exercise as peaceful, less violent and well organised.
According to her, party members turned out massively to participate in the direct primary in line with the laid-down rules and regulations of the party.
However, the case was different at the Okitipupa/Irele federal constituency, where it was alleged that no election took place.
One of the aspirants, Wale Ayadi, said reports from the 23 wards of the constituency indicated that election did not hold.
”It is important to mention that the narratives suggesting that a valid primary election was conducted across the wards of Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency for the purpose of selecting a candidate for the House of Representatives is a sham,” Mr Ayadi declared in a statement issued on Saturday.
”We wish to state categorically and unequivocally that no primary election took place in any ward of Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency of Ondo State.”
He noted that reports received from party members, stakeholders, delegates, and ward leaders across the constituency clearly indicated that no electoral materials, no accreditation and accredited officials, no certified true copy of registered members of APC, and due electoral processes were made observed.
”Party faithful waited endlessly without any conduct of election whatsoever.
”This development raises serious concerns regarding transparency, fairness, inclusiveness, and compliance with the democratic principles and guidelines of our great party, the APC,” he said.
Mr Ayadi said that as loyal party members and committed progressives, “we strongly believe that the integrity of the primary process must not be compromised. The voices and participation of aspirants and party members across the wards must be respected and protected.
“We therefore call on the appropriate authorities of the party to urgently look into these irregularities and ensure that justice, fairness, and due process prevail in the interest of democracy, party unity, and the collective integrity of our party in Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency.
Our commitment to the ideals of the APC and to the good people of the constituency remains unwavering.
In a related development, controversy arose over the release of a list of disqualified aspirants on the day of the primaries, affecting seven aspirants across some federal constituencies in the state.
Those affected include Adefisoye Tajudeen (Idanre/Ifedore), Olusegun Ategbole and Seun Ajongbolo (Akoko Southeast/Southwest), Arowole Ayodeji (Owo/Ose), and Murufu Tosin Ibrahim, Oseni Oyeniyi, and Olaleye Adedipe from Akoko Northeast/Northwest Federal Constituency.
One of the affected aspirants, Murufu Ibrahim, popularly known as “Hon. Murphy, described his disqualification as sudden and questioned the timing of the screening report released on the day of the primaries.
He alleged that the late disclosure of disqualification outcomes undermined transparency and denied aspirants the opportunity for redress.
He called for an investigation into what he described as irregularities, stressing the need to protect internal democracy and ensure fairness in the process.
Responding to the allegations and concerns raised by the aspirants, the APC Director of Media and Publicity in the state, Steve Otaloro, said the exercise was largely peaceful across the state, insisting that reports from the field indicated a smooth and orderly process in most wards.
Mr Otaloro maintained that any grey areas would be clarified at the collation stage, adding that the party was still reviewing reports from field officers.
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He stressed that the APC state secretariat only provided logistics, noting that the conduct of the primaries was handled by officials deployed from the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
On the disqualified aspirants, he said, “Everybody should be aware that it has nothing to do with the state secretariat here. Everything was conducted at the national level, it is the national level that sets the rules and how to go about it.
”Whatever they have done has to do with their own decision at the national level. There is still a screening committee that reports back; if at that level anybody is disqualified, they must have given personal reasons for the disqualification,” Mr Otaloro said.
