Ondo 2024: Three aspirants petition election appeal committee over APC primary, as Aiyedatiwa preaches unity 

…Calls on stakeholders to join him in building the future

By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure

Three out of the 15 aspirants who lost in the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Ondo state have petitioned against the process.

The Chairman, Appeals Committee on the primaries, and immediate past governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, disclosed this on Monday while speaking with journalists at the APC Secretariat in Akure.

Recall that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, emerged as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the gubernatorial elections scheduled for November 16, this year having scored a total of 48,569 votes in the polls, to defeat other 15 aspirants.

The Chairman of the governorship primary election committee and Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, declared the incumbent governor the winner in the early hours of Monday.

But the Appeal Committee, chaired by Abubakar, alongside other members of the committee, Obiocha Israel; Secretary, Jamilu Isiyiaka Gwamna, Patrick Obahiagbo and Onyeka Okafor said; “We have received three petitions from these three aspirants; Gbenga Edema, Jimi Odimayo and Wale Akinterinwa.

Wale Akinterinwa, in the petition said; “it is clear that the Committee failed woefully to obey or abide by its guidelines set for the election. It is equally clear that the Committee did not distribute materials to any local government in Ondo State for the purpose of the election.

“That the purported primary election said to have been conducted by the Ododo led Committee was a sham and rape of democracy.

“That the purported election be canceled and a new date be picked and a new election conducted.

“That the HE. Usman Ododo committee has compromised itself by not obeying its own rules and so should not be allowed to conduct the new election. I wish that you will do everything within you to ensure our party is saved from this national embarrassment.”

In his own petition, Gbenga Edema said, “Based on the said returns, I have appealed the decision of the election committee on the ground: That the said primary election was fraught with irregularities that runs foul of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended); the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress, APC; and the Party guidelines set out for the conduct of the said primary election.

“We make bold to say that all these were missing in the so-called primary election purportedly held in Ondo State on 20th April, 2024. We have brought this to your notice that no election ever held in Ondo State APC. The committee is invited to order that a proper election be held without delay.”

Jimi Odimayo also called for the outright cancellation of the APC primary election and the disbandment of the seven-man committee with immediate effect with a view to repositioning the party for better performance.

“Kindly note that our party is the cynosure of all eyes and is expected of us to do what is right at all times.

“As part of the guidelines of the party, nobody is allowed to be a Returning Officer in his or her ward of origin. This provision of the guidelines was flagrantly abused by the people saddled with the responsibilities of conducting a credible, free and fair primary election: The Returning Officers were assigned the election duties of their wards of origin. Such impunity would definitely lead to a clash of interest,” Odimayo said in the petition.

Abubakar, however, said, “Let me use this opportunity to assure members of our party that this committee intends to be thorough and transparent in treating any complaint that we will receive.

“I can assure you that within a space of a few days, we will consider the total number of petitions we received and render a report to the national headquarters of our party before the party takes a final decision on the issue of the primary.

“As I’m speaking with you, only three petitions have been received. So, I am calling on all the aspirants that have complaint(s) to please, feel free to forward it to us. We have since established our office at the headquarters of the party for the collection of this appeal if there are.”

…As Aiyedatiwa preaches unity

Incumbent governor and gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo state, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has declared that the greatness of Ondo State is what matters the most now more than ever before.

The Governor who stated this yesterday in his acceptance speech after he was declared winner of the Ondo state APC keenly contested governorship primary in Akure requested his co-contestants and other stakeholders in the state especially within the APC to join hands with him in building the future that they all yearn for in Ondo state.

According to him, “There is infrastructure to be built; better healthcare services to be delivered; fair justice to be served; qualitative education to be ensured; civil servants to be trained and motivated; security of lives and properties to be strengthened; enabling environment to be created for businesses to thrive and attract investors.

In the speech titled, ‘A time to win together,’ Aiyedatiwa said the “internally orchestrated heavy politics” within the APC in search of a flag-bearer in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo has come to a conclusion with his emergence as the candidate as declared by the Governorship Primary Election Committee under the chairmanship of His Excellency, Governor Usman Ododo, the Governor of Kogi State.

The governor thanked the other 15 aspirants who contested the primary with him saying their participation in the contest has enriched democracy and strengthened APC in the State, adding that it is their right and that they are qualified and worthy members of the party.

“Let me at this time acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag-bearer: Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac D. Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Hon. Olujimi Odimayo, Mr. Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi Esq, Prince Diran Iyantan, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Engr. Funke Omogoroye.

“Your participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party. You mobilised our members and removed apathy. You have also brought in numerous new members into the party. All of these have enriched our democracy and strengthened our party in the State,” Ayedatiwa said.

He added that, “Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power.”

He further assured his fellow contestants they will all “gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest to lead the State towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party.”

“I want to specially thank the President and Leader of our party, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his leadership. I thank the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, the National Chairman of our party, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, the Progressive Governors, National and State Working Committees of our party and all stakeholders in the state for their forthrightness in the processes leading to my emergence as the flag-bearer for our party in the Ondo 2024 governorship election.

“I thank all our traditional rulers, institutional heads, civil servants and all the stakeholders who have chosen me as their preferred candidate. I also thank all the party leaders, including the APC Aborigines, members of the campaign team and all others who toured the entire 18 local government areas together with me to engage with our party members. I do not take for granted the love shown to me by our members across the State.

“To all our party members, I hereby accept, wholeheartedly, the responsibility conferred on me as the candidate of our party by the votes of our members who turned out in their large numbers on the 20th of April 2024,” he said.