UPDATED: 11 Ondo APC aspirants reject indirect primary

TRACKING ____Eleven All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Ondo State of Friday rejected the indirect mode of primary for selection of the party’s candidate on July 20.

They sent a protest letter to the party’s Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CEONCPC) to present their position.

Only Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who is seeking re-election, did not append his signature on the letter submitted to the office of the National Chairman of the party in Abuja.

The letter dated 8th July, 2020, titled: “Why indirect primary cannot be an option for Ondo State Governorship Primary Election” was submitted by Chief Olusola Oke, one of the aspirants on behalf of others at the National Chairman’s office at about 3:15pm.

The Nation gathered the aspirants were reacting to a Thursday statement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicating that indirect mode of primary election has been approved for the primary.

In the two-page letter, the aspirants said that majority of party members prefer direct primary for nomination of candidate for 2020 Governorship election.

According to the aspirants: “Having variously traversed the length and breadth of Ondo State, interfacing with party members as Aspirants, we can confidently inform you that overwhelming majority of our party members prefer Direct Primary for the nomination of the party’s candidate for the 2020 Governorship Election”.

The group argued that “adopting Indirect Primary Election in Ondo State, given the prevailing mood and circumstances is hazardous”.

Advancing reasons against indirect mode of primary election, the aspirants recalled that the party has been engrossed in a legal action at the Federal High Court, Akure, Ondo State following rejection by members of the validity of the Ward, Local Government and State Executives purported to have emerged from the compromised congresses of 2019.

The case with suit no FHC/AK/CS/10/19, they noted “provoked by the complaint that those currently parading themselves as party executives at all levels in the State were singlehandedly selected outside the congresses contrary to the provisions APC Constitution by His Excellency, the Governor of Ondo State and his alies”.

They warned: “It is the law and it stands to good logic that no party to the above suit should take any step that will undermine the authority of the court during the pendency of the suit. The party acting in disregard of a pending case stands the risk of the exercise carried out in contempt being declared a nullity notwithstanding the merit of the case.

“Furthermore, should the suit ultimately succeed on the merit, any structure built to the contrary stands vitiated,” the aspirants counseled”.

They further noted the party is no longer in a position to comply with the mandatory provision of Article 20 of APC Constitution 2014, as amended, which splet out the modalities of conducted indirect mode of primary

“Article 20(i)(a)(ii)(ii)(e)(iv)(a)(b)(CMd) set out the mandatory procedure and steps to be taken where the party adopts Indirect Primary. By the provision, a governorship candidate shall emerge from an Electoral College of delegates elected by members of the party from the various wards contained in the particular constituency at congresses.

“The number of delegates required for the office of a governor shall be determined from time to time by the National Executive Committee (NEC). Voting at the ward congresses to elect the delegates for the Electoral College shall be by Secret Ballot.

“These are mandatory requirements which supersede any guidelines or decisions to the contrary, having regard to the supremacy of the Constitution as enshrined in Article 2 thereof,” stressing that, “clearly, the party has time constraint to comply with the above provision”.

They then submitted that “for the above reasons and the overriding need to maximize fairness and minimize bitterness that, as stakeholders, we most humbly insist that Direct Primary be adopted as was peacefully utilized in Edo, Osun, Lagos, Oyo and Ogun States.

“It will provide a level playing ground for all aspirants and assist in no small measure in mobilizing party members to own the candidature of whoever emerges from the process.

“The consequence of knowingly opening the race to all willing members of the party by allowing them to invest time, energy and huge resources only to hand over victory to one of the aspirants by adopting a mode only favourable to that aspirant, is too grave to imagine given the prevailing mode generally in the State and particularly in the party,” they maintained.

The letter was signed by Joseph Olusola Iji, Odimayo Okunjimi, Olayide Owolabi Adelami, Issacs Kekemeke, Olusola Oke, lfeoluwa Oyedele and Olajumoke Olubusola Anifowoshe.

Others are Awodeyi Akinsehinwa Akinola Colinus, Olubukola Adetula, Dr.Abraham Olusegun and Dr. Nathaniel Adojutelegan.