CSOs Dismiss Ondo APC Governorship Primary Election As “Charade Kangaroo”, Calls For Fresh Election

By Ayodele Oni

Civil Society Organizations, (CSO) that witnessed the conduct of the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have described the exercise as “charade kangaroo Governorship Primary election.”

The CSOs in their report on the election pointed out that their pre-election activities and interactions with APC members showed that the exercise would be a failure.

In their observations, they noted that:

“State Working Committee divided along interest Line: while the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was silent on their individual preferred and anointed aspirants, the State Working Committee (SWC) members were divided along interest line due to their open display of interest and campaign for a preferred aspirant.

“This led to a serious division among them and coordination of activities ahead of the primaries at state levels hampered grossly.

“The late arrival of the Party’s Election Committee Members to Ondo state, less than 24 hrs to such a crucial election and convening a stakeholders/aspirants meeting eve to an election when aspirants and political stakeholders were already expected to be at their various Localities for the election, was generally rumoured to be a tactical strategy to keep aspirants and stakeholders especially those from a very far areas away from their locality while mal-practices are carried out in their place behind them.

“The non-compliance to the guidelines for the election and the modalities as was being explained by the Secretary of the Election Committee His Excellency Senator Ovie Omo-Agege during the stakeholders meeting was not only surprisingly shocking and disappointing, but also a deliberate sabotage against the party and also an attempt to further ridicule the party as was the case in Edo state recently.

“The mode of the primary: In line with our relevant electoral laws, it is the sole decision of the party to decide on the type of primaries to be adopted.

“The APC adopted the direct method of primaries and timely communicated same to all the aspirants and party stakeholders.

“But one critical issue that emerged during the APC primary in Ondo State was the limited awareness among party members regarding the location for the primary and its processes/modalities.

“Unavailability of election materials and officials: there was no open distribution of election materials to their various Districts and Local Government Areas.

“Therefore, election materials and personnel were not sited at various centers visited by our team, especially in Ondo South and Ondo North.

“This led to several individuals appointing themselves as Electoral and Returning Officers at Wards and LGA levels just to appease the eagerly waiting crowd of party members, which led to violent resistance by some opposing supporters of other aspirants resulting to fight. EG:  Wards 04, 08, 10, and 11 all in Akure South, the entire Wards in Okitikpukpa, etc”

They gave recommendations to avoid future mistakes which include outright cancellation of the exercise and conduct of fresh one.

“The APC Governorship primary election of 20th April, 2024 in Ondo State be completely cancelled and a fresh transparent, credible and all-inclusive primary election be immediately conducted within the next few days/hours considering INEC timetable and in total compliance with the party guideline and Constitution.

“Declaring the election inconclusive in selected areas was a tactical means devised by the Election Committee to give themselves a soft landing after a disappointing and disgraceful election.

“The immediate dissolution of Alh. Usman Ododo led Ondo state Governorship Primary Election Committee for their display of gross incompetence and inexperience on election activities, management and conducts, and open show of bias and favouritism which is against the mandate of their assignment.

“This led to rubbishing the integrity of the party in the entire South West. Besides, appointing Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State who is still studying governance and party politics, for such a critical assignment in a state like Ondo is rather a slight on the people of Ondo State.”