Oladunni Odu, Deji Akinwalere, other stakeholders berate APC electoral Committee as Ife Oyedele vows to report observed flaw to NWC.
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Engr. Ife Oyedele, APC Governorship Aspirant,
Princess Oladunni Odu, immediate past Secretary to Ondo State Government, ex SSG, Dr. Deji Akinwalere, senior citizen and retired permanent Secretary, Chief Tony Meduoye, Odonmo George Eri and other APC stakeholders have condemned the outcome of the All Progressives Congress, APC Gubernatorial primary held in Ondo State on Saturday, describing it as an embarrassing charade.
The stakeholders who spoke at different time with thepolity.net on Saturday drew one conclusion: election did not hold.
Princess Oladunni Odu who addressed newsmen at St. John’s Okitipupa said there were no materials for the election and there was no returning officer. She said there wasn’t anything that had the likelihood of election at the place. ” What has happened here today is an embarrassing development which people of good conscience must condemn.
“We didn’t see the proper register as sent to us before the election but there was a bulky register brought in here by a group loyal to the incumbent Governor. The original register sent to us by the party had only 1,461names for this ward and we all gathered here this morning as early as 7.30 am to cast our votes but we were disenfranchised. No voting took place here. We didn’t even see the officials that were to conduct the exercise. Unfortunately, this happened across the local government and with the report I have so far, no election held in any of the places billed for the shadow poll here.”
Princess Odu said Okitipupa is too strong a political base to be trifled with by political chess players warning that there will be dire consequences if anyone takes the right of the people of APC in the area to vote their beloved candidate for granted. She further said the sham that has happened smells of prearranged agenda and it will not stand.
“We are all members of the same APC family and we see no reason why desperate ambition of one will turn the electoral process upside down, ” Princess Oladunni Odu added.
At Ikoya, Mr. Odonmo George Erioluwa, an APC leader from Ikoya\Igbisin Oloto ward who spoke with thepolity.net expressed bitterness over the fact that against the run of play, election did not hold , dashing the expectation of the people to exercise their voting right and thumbing for their desired aspirant. ” As you can see for yourself no election held here. Voters came our massively but the agent who showed up failed to conduct the exercise. No materials for accreditation were brought and there was no accreditation. We waited here since morning up till now, but nothing was done.
” We are disappointed that what has happened here is against what the Secretary of the Committee, Senator Ovie Omo Agege told us yesterday and this illegality must not stand,” Odonmo George said.
At Ilutitun, Dr. Deji Akinwalere, Director General, Gen. Ohunyeye Felix Olamide Campaign Committee noted that what the APC Election Committee told the stakeholders on Friday ran contrary to what has happened at the polling units. ” Senator Ovie Omo Agege said between 10 and 11 am , there would be accreditation of voters on Saturday . Between 1 and 2 pm there would be proper election .We have been here since morning and we have not seen any electoral officer or any returning officer to conduct election.
” Across the three wards at Ilutitun, people have been around since morning but no election was conducted.
” The fact is that election has not been held and it is an open case of internationally denying people their voting rights; it is condemnable and it’s not good at all for democracy, ” Dr. Akinwalere stressed.
Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress, APC Gubernatorial aspirant, Engr. Ife Oyedele has said the electioneering process started long time ago and not on the day of the primary, stressing that he has a support base that is very consistent. While chatting with thepolity.net at his residence on Saturday morning , he noted that he is not a stranger to the exercise and this time round he will not countenance any primary exercise that will fall short of the expected mode agreed on between the APC Committee sent down from Abuja and the Ondo State APC stakeholders. ” At the stakeholders meeting, I spoke with the Governor and confronted him over the allegation that some group has been sponsored to go round to cause violence on election day; he said he was not aware of it. Fine! I said to him he should ensure violence did not mar the electoral process because it will be a shame if we can’t hold a peaceful party primary and be a good model to other smaller political parties.
“I have made it clear that if there is any perceived orchestrated violence to disrupt the primary and make the exercise to follow a premeditated outcome, I will take the matter to our leaders and the concerned stakeholders at the national level,” Engr. Oyedele said.
It will be recalled that 16 All Progressives Congress aspirants are jostling for the party’s ticket ahead of the Governorship election in November.
