Eleven of 12 aspirants of the All Progressive Congress in Ondo State have rejected the indirect mode of primary adopted by the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the APC in the state coming governorship election, scheduled for October 10.
The incumbent Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, is the only aspirant who is favourably disposed to the indirect mode.
Following the publication of the details of the mode of primary chosen by the APC on the website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the 11 aspirants made their rejection known.
They made their decision known in a letter dated July 8 with the title, ‘Why Indirect Primary Cannot be an Option for the Ondo State Governorship Primary Election.’
The letter was signed by 11 aspirants and addressed to Buni. It was made public in Abuja on Friday.
The signatures in the letter include Joseph Iji, Odimayo Okunjimi, Olayide Adelami, Isaac Kekemeke, Olusola Oke, lfeoluwa Oyedele and Olajumoke Anifowoshe.
Others are Awodeyi Colinus, Olubukola Adetula, Dr. Olusegun Abraham, and Dr Nathaniel Adojutelegan.
Before the dissolution of Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee, the ex-chairman had written a letter to INEC to signify the party’s choice of indirect primary mode for Ondo State.
Buni-led APC Caretaker Committee adopted this position after being inaugurated and assumed office.
In an indirect mode of primary, delegates, most of whom are party leaders, elected legislators and government appointees who are party members, are the ones who will elect the part’s candidate.
But in a direct mode, all card-carrying members of the party across all the electoral wards will be the ones to decide the governorship candidate.
The 11 aspirants in the letter say, “We can confidently inform you that the overwhelming majority of our party members prefer the direct primary for the nomination of the party’s candidate for the 2020 governorship election.”
“It is our position that adopting the indirect primary election in Ondo State, given the prevailing mood and circumstances, is hazardous on the following grounds: Subsistence of Suit No FHC/AK/CS/10/19.
“It is a notorious fact that the above suit was instituted by aggrieved members of the party to challenge the constitutionality and validity of the ward, local government and state executives purported to have emerged from the compromised congresses of 2019.
“The case was 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 of the APC constitution by His Excellency, the Governor of Ondo State, and his allies.
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.
“It is for the above reasons and the overriding need to maximise fairness and minimise bitterness that, as stakeholders, we most humbly insist that the direct primary be adopted as was peacefully utilised in Edo, Osun, Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states.”
“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.”
