7 aspirants boycott Ekiti APC governorship primaries over irregularities

Ekiti State Governorship Primary Election of the ruling All Progressives Congress has commenced, Thursday, with seven aspirants pulling out of the contest citing irregularities with the delegates’ list for the poll.

Supporters of the aspirants who stormed the party’s secretariat at Ado Ekiti were met with armed force as they tried to register their grievances with the APC Election Committee, Thursday.

It would be recalled that the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) concluded its own primary exercise with former chairman of the state chapter of the party, Bisi Kolawole emerging winner.

However, the exercise at the APC was clouded with controversies as the aggrieved seven aspirants demanded for the reconstitution of the Election Committee of the party, as they alleged that it was presently filed with loyalists of the incumbent state Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

The seven aspirants, including,  Kayode Mojo, Demola Popoola, Femi Bamisile, Bamidele Faparusi, Dayo Adeyeye, Opeyemi Bamidele and Afolabi Oluwasola, have since issued a statement in forming the party of their decision to withdraw from the exercise.

The aspirants further alleged that Governor Fayemi is bent on foisting his preferred candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, as winner of the primary poll.

In a statement on Thursday, the aspirants said there is no way the exercise will be fair with the calibre of people sitting on the primary election committees.

“The seven aspirants herein received with rude shock and dismay the purported list of local government election committee and ward election committee made up solely by party members and political appointees that had before now openly endorsed the candidacy of Biodun Oyebanji the immediate past secretary to the state government.

“It is on record that the government of Governor Kayode Fayemi has given its unwavering support to the candidacy of Biodun Oyebanji, it is common knowledge that the Governor and most appointees of the governor are openly rooting for and supporting Biodun Oyebanji’s aspiration to become the flag bearer of our great party.

“What is more disturbing is the fact that a simple glance at the names of the persons appointed as members of both committees would reveal that it is made up of appointees of government who are all supporters of a candidate in the primary election they are appointed to superintend.

“The seven candidates herein are loyal, faithful and committed party members who are sincerely concerned about the chances of the party in the forthcoming 2022 governorship election where an imposition is allowed to override a democratic primary election for determining its flag bearer.

“We request that both the local government election committee and ward election committee was constituted on the list already in circulation be disbanded and replaced with names that would reinforce internal democracy and uphold the aims and objectives of the party.”

Supporters of the aggrieved aspirants had stormed the party secretariat berating the Committee for doctoring the delegates’ list to favour a particular candidate.

According to them, voting  has already commenced somewhere else in favour of the candidate, even before the formal accreditation process.

The Ekiti State governorship election holds in June, this year

APC is adopting the direct primary mode for the exercise and aspirants have been transversing the 177 wards in the state to woo voters.

The State government had earlier announced closure of all public and private schools today to forestall any untoward event.

The Police also assured of adequate security with advisory to political groups to toe the lawful path.

Aspirants in the poll include Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; immediate past Secretary to Ekiti State Government, Biodun Oyebanji and Federal lawmakers; Femi Bamisile and former commissioner, Bamidele Faparusi. Others are; former Senate Spokesperson Dayo Adeyeye; Demola Popoola; Kayode Ojo and Toyin Afolabi.